Web Only Farm-Fresh Recipes

1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the beets in a roasting pan with 1/2 cup water. Cover and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until easily pierced with a sharp knife. Peel and coarsely chop. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree (there should be about 2 cups). Set aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 10-cup Bundt or tube pan with oil and dust it with flour. In a large bowl, sift the flour, whole-wheat pastry flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a double boiler or a small pan over low heat, add the chocolate and 1/4 cup of the oil. Heat just until the chocolate melts. Remove from the heat and stir until well combined. Set aside.

With a hand-held or stand mixer, combine the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat until fluffy. Slowly add the remaining 3/4 cup oil, the chocolate mixture, beet puree and vanilla extract. Gently add the flour mixture just until it is mixed in. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Run a thin knife along the outer and inner edges of the pan and carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack. Let it cool completely before dusting with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Per serving (based on 12): 420 calories, 5 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, 25 g fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 5 g saturated fat, 295 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber

Recipe tested by Marcia Kramer; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com