Summer is prime time to celebrate big birthdays and anniversaries, showers and reunions. Or if none of this applies to you, feel free to celebrate the fact that it is summer in Canada! With any good celebration, there is a need for cake. As Julia Child once said, “A party without a cake is really just a meeting.” Who wants meetings in the summer?!
Sheet cakes are perfect for summer parties. You simply use a 23x33 cm (9x13-inch) pan, the one you already have in the cupboard, thereby forgoing the need to purchase any fancy bakeware. And you don’t need to have layers and fillings and fancy piping work to show off. This recipe simply uses a rich chocolate ganache swirled on top, which looks fancy enough in its own right. The real perk of this cake is the use of beets. Yes, beets!
The same vegetable you use to make borscht can also be tremendous in chocolate cake. The humble root vegetable imparts a note of earthiness to the cake, and helps keep the sweetness in check. Plus, the beet puree helps to keep the cake nice and moist. I like to make the puree in advance, just so it helps to free up more time when you want to bake (and eat!) the cake.
When it comes to garnishing the cake, look for summer-fresh berries, fruits, herbs, and edible flowers. Be sure the edible flowers are indeed edible, and not sprayed with any pesticides etc. If you want to simply use sprinkles or chocolate shavings, or keep it plain and simple, that works too. Rich and chocolatey in the very best way, this is a cake that celebrates the best things in life. Now, pass me a fork. It’s time to dig in!