Beet Gingerbread

Any color beet will work in this super moist gingerbread, though the beet flavor will be more prominent the darker the beet.

1. 1 cup all purpose flour

2. 2 tsp ground ginger

3. 1 tsp ground cinnamon

4. ½ tsp ground cloves

5. ½ tsp grated nutmeg

6. 1 tsp baking powder

7. 1 tsp baking soda

8. ¼ tsp salt

9. 2 eggs

10. ½ c neutral oil

11. ⅔ cup sugar

12. 2 Tbsp molasses

13. ¼ cup buttermilk

14. 1 ½ cup peeled, grated beet (5 oz)

15. ½ cup chopped candied ginger

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Combine flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, whisk until well blended and set aside. In a stand mixer or with a hand held mixer, whip the eggs until very fluffy (about 2 minutes), then lower speed and drizzle in the oil, then the sugar. Whisk molasses into buttermilk and drizzle in. Once fully combined, add the flour mixture all at once and mix on low for about 30 seconds to combine. Finish folding in beets and ginger by hand. Pour into prepared pan and bake, turning in the oven after 40 minutes, for 60-75 minutes total, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Set on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes, then run a thin blade around the edge of the cake and invert on cooling rack. Flip right side up to continue cooling. To glaze, mix about ½ cup powdered sugar with a splash of buttermilk, whisking until smooth. Add buttermilk in tiny amounts until about the consistency of white glue, then pour on the slightly still warm cake and allow to finish cooling.