These Chocolate & Beetroot cupcakes are a simple but healthy dessert. Vibrant beetroot, blended with cocoa powder, Greek yogurt and olive oil to create super moist and delicious cupcakes. They are a match made in heaven with my high protein, cream cheese style white chocolate frosting.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I couldn’t think of anything more iconic than cupcakes. So, let’s celebrate Valentine’s Day the right way! Although, technically these healthy Beetroot Cupcakes could also work for Christmas, Halloween, a 4^th of July BBQ or a birthday party!

Moist Chocolate & Beetroot Cupcakes

These vegetarian Chocolate Beetroot Cupcakes are super easy to put together. All you need is a blender for blitzing the raw beetroot and some bowls. Using beet makes these cupcakes an antioxidant-rich and dye free nutritious dessert. You wouldn’t even know these cupcakes are healthy! Combined with my version of a sweet cream cheese frosting. But made with white chocolate and cottage cheese, for extra protein!

Chocolate and beetroot cupcakes on a cake stand.

Why this is the BEST Beetroot Cupcakes recipe

They contain more beet than most cupcake recipes!
Are sweet, but you can easily adjust the sweetness to your liking.
Have a great chocolate flavour!
Are simple to make – no difficult techniques here!
Uses basic everyday ingredients that you can easily find.
Are more nutritious than regular chocolate cupcakes!

But if these cupcakes aren’t very sweet, doesn’t that technically make them Beetroot Muffins? While that is true, I consider them cupcakes due to the frosting and fine crumb.

Six chocolate beetroot cupcakes on a cake stand.

Nutrition

Using vegetables, like beet, is a great way of adding in some extra nutrition in dessert. Compared to other recipes, these Beetroot Cupcakes are a healthy option because they:

Contain more protein (~7g per cupcake) than other chocolate cupcakes. Our bodies use this protein to help make or repair things such as muscle, bone, enzymes and hormones. It can also be used as an energy source.
Have double the fibre (~3g each) of regular cupcakes! Our gut bacteria ferment these fibres, making chemicals called short chain fatty acids. Research has shown that these short chain fatty acids can positively influence our brain and mood.
Are significantly lower in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol compared to other cupcakes. But they also contain healthy unsaturated fats! So these Beetroot Cupcakes are a much better choice for our heart and vascular system.
Although they are not ‘no sugar’, they have less sugar than other cupcakes. Combined with the protein and fibre, means they are less likely to spike blood glucose levels.
Beetroots contain antioxidants, called ‘anthocyanins’, which gives them their bright red purple colour. Antioxidants help to reduce inflammation by neutralising free radicals.

Chocolate & Beetroot Cupcakes ingredients

Ingredients for chocolate and beetroot cupcakes.

Beetroot / beet – Gives the cupcakes a deep, reddy brown colour. But the beetroot also makes the cupcakes super moist.
Wholemeal flour – Is a healthier option compared to bleached white flour. As it contains more protein, dietary fibre and nutrients.
Corn flour / starch – Helps to give the cupcakes a more tender and fluffy texture.
Baking powder & soda – Are leavening agents, which help the cupcakes to rise. Together they give the cupcakes a light and fluffy texture.
Cocoa powder – Adds a rich chocolate flavour.
Extra virgin olive oil – Making these cupcakes with oil helps to greatly reduce the saturated fat in the recipe. Using extra virgin olive oil provides heathy monounsaturated fats. These fats are more beneficial to our heart health.
Maple syrup – Adds just enough sweetness, which helps to mostly conceal the flavours of the beetroot.
Greek yogurt – Similar to the beetroot, helps to make the cupcakes moist. Also gives an extra boost of protein and calcium.
Vanilla extract – For a light vanilla flavour. I recommend only using extract, as it has more flavour than essence.
Eggs – Helps to give the cupcakes structure. I used 2 large eggs, which are 50-55g per industry standard. However, this recipe will also work with extra large eggs.
White vinegar – Adds extra acidity, which reacts with the baking soda to make nice and fluffy cupcakes.
Red food colouring – Optional for red velvet cupcakes.

White chocolate frosting

White chocolate – Adds a sweetness that just pairs amazingly with cottage cheese. Make sure to use melting chocolate, that you get from the baking aisle. Regular chocolate does not melt as well.
Cottage cheese – Has a very similar flavour profile and thickness to cream cheese, but with more protein. I used the home brand cottage cheese, which you can get from both Coles and Woolworths.

A spoon dripping chocolate beetroot cupcake batter into a liner.

Which beets are best for cupcakes?

First and foremost, the terms beet and beetroot refer to the same vegetable. Here in Australia, we refer to them as beetroot.

When picking out your beetroot, make sure you choose the dark purple ones. Generally, there are 3 main ways you can buy beetroot.

Raw / fresh– Are perfect for this recipe, plus you get a bit of extra nutrition from leaving the skins on. Don’t forget to wash your raw beetroot well to remove any dirt before cutting the ends off.
Cryovac – Work just as well as fresh beet. Check the ingredients for any added sugars or salt, and if possible, choose a pack without either.
Canned – I do not recommend using canned beetroot, as they often contain added sugar. However, canned will still work with this recipe. Just rinse the brine off them before blitzing them in the blender.

Chocolate beetroot cupcake batter in a muffin pan.

How to make Chocolate & Beetroot Cupcakes

Making the cupcakes

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line a 12 muffin / cupcake pan with paper liners / wrappers.
Sift the wholemeal flour, corn flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder into a medium mixing bowl. Tip the leftover bran in the sieve into the bowl and mix well.

Step 2 of making chocolate beetroot cupcakes.

Add the eggs, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and Greek yogurt to a large bowl. Stir with a whisk until combined.

Step 3 of making chocolate beetroot cupcakes.

Add the beetroot and water to a high-speed blender (I used a nutribullet) and blitz into a smooth paste or puree. This should make roughly 1 cup of beet puree. Pour the beet puree into the bowl with the other wet ingredients.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Spoon the beetroot cupcake batter into the paper liners. Fill each liner until roughly 3/4 full.

Steps 4-6 of making chocolate beetroot cupcakes.

Bake the chocolate beetroot cupcakes for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes in the muffin tray. Then transfer them to a cake rake to cool completely.

Making the frosting

Add the white chocolate to a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 10 – 15 seconds at a time until melted.
Pour the melted chocolate and cottage cheese to a high speed blender and blitz until smooth. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until it is cold.

Steps 1 and 2 of making the white chocolate frosting for chocolate beetroot cupcakes.

If you want pink icing instead of white, reserve 1 tablespoon of the beet puree. Add it to the white chocolate and cottage cheese before blending. Note, putting in more than 1 tablespoon of beet puree may prevent your frosting from holding its shape.

Decorating the cupcakes

If you want to recreate the photos, I used a 1M piping nozzle. I’ve written the out the steps, but you can also refer to the video below.

Once both the frosting and cupcakes have cooled, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Start on one edge, and pipe around the top of the cupcake in one rotation.
When the nozzle reaches the starting point, pipe a smaller rotation, building up like a cone.
Once you reach the top, move the nozzle into the middle and pull up to create a point.

The heart shape sprinkles I purchased from Amazon. Whereas the Swizzels Love Hearts candy I got from the Reject Shop (but also available at Kmart).

A hand dropping heart sprinkles onto a frosted chocolate beetroot cupcake.

Storage

These Beetroot Cupcakes will last in the fridge with the chocolate frosting for up to 4-5 days. Just keep them in an airtight container in the fridge to prevent the frosting from melting.

You can also freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2-3 months. Just wrap them in 2 layers of plastic wrap and put them into a freezer safe container.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Yes! Just wrap the cupcakes in 2 layers on plastic wrap. Store them and the white chocolate frosting in an airtight container in the fridge. I do not recommend frosting them more than a day ahead. After 24 hours the beetroot may bleed into the frosting.

Beetroots contain a chemical called ‘anthocyanins’, which gives them the purple colour. Cooking beetroots at high heat, like during baking, degrades the anthocyanins. This can lead to a loss of that vivid red colour.

You sure can, but they won’t be dye free. The only way to achieve the signature red velvet look with beet is using food colouring.

Reduce the cocoa powder to 1 tablespoon, increase the wholemeal flour to 1 1/4 cups and use 2-3 teaspoons of red food colouring. Add the food colouring to the wet ingredients in step 4 before mixing in the dried ingredients.

If you can find it, I recommend using red gel food colouring. I found the liquid red food colouring faded, whereas the gel reportedly does not.

Absolutely! I think this recipe would make the perfect easy Chocolate and Beetroot Cake.

Just divide your beet cupcake batter between 2 lined 8 inch cake tins. Bake in the oven at 180°C / 350°F for 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Three chocolate beetroot cupcakes on a cake stand.

Substitutes & variations

Cocoa powder – Can be swapped out for cacao powder, but your cupcakes will be more bitter.
White vinegar – Apple cider vinegar would also work.
White chocolate – Personally, I think white chocolate is the best. But it can be substituted for either dark or milk melting chocolate.
Psyllium husk – Is a great way of adding extra fibre! Add 1-2 teaspoons. But note that psyllium husk absorb moisture, so the cupcake batter will be thicker.

Other dietary

Diabetes friendly – Switch the maple syrup and white chocolate for sugar free versions. Sub out half of the wholemeal flour for almond flour.
Gluten free – Switch the wholemeal flour for a gluten free variety. Alternatively, you can also use almond meal
Vegan – Swap the Greek yogurt for a plant-based version. Use an extra tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil instead of the eggs. For the frosting, swap the cottage cheese for silken tofu, and use vegan chocolate.

A chocolate beetroot cup cake, cut in in half.

Tips

These Beetroot Cupcakes are mildly sweet, with earthy undertones of the beets. So the flavour combination may not be enjoyed by kids. To remedy this, I suggest increasing the maple syrup by a tablespoon or 2.

Once cool to the touch, place the cupcakes into the fridge to cool further before icing. If your cupcakes are even slightly warm, it may melt the frosting and ruin your decorations.

Remember that beetroot has mega staining powder. Where possible, use a dark chopping board, tea towels, and gloves.

Hot tip: Heat your cottage cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds or until it is warm before blending with the white chocolate. Cold cottage cheese will cause your white chocolate to set and stick to the sides of the container.