Makes 18-20 cupcakes; Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 4 medium beets, roasted and peeled
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1½ cup almond flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 large eggs
• 1¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Glaze:

• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• ¼ tsp vanilla
• Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions:

Cupcakes:

1. Puree beets until smooth, adding a little water as necessary to loosen. Measure out 1 cup purée (if there is extra, stir into yogurt for a delicious dip).

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners and spray lightly with cooking spray.

3. Whisk almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl; set aside4. Heat chocolate and olive oil in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until melted. Remove bowl from heat. Stir in vinegar, vanilla, and beet purée until smooth.

6. Beat eggs, brown sugar, and salt in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed (or use an electric mixer and large bowl) until more than tripled in volume, about 5–7 minutes.

7. Pour chocolate-beet mixture into egg mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Turn mixer off and gently tip in reserved dry ingredients. Beat on lowest speed, scraping down bowl as needed, until combined.

8. Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ full. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when gently pressed, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from pan, let cool, then glaze.

Glaze:

1. Heat chocolate, oil, vanilla, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until chocolate is melted. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and cool enough to touch, 10–15 minutes.2. Drizzle over tops of cupcakes and allow to set for 1-2 hours before serving.