Harvest Mini-Party this Thursday, August 2, 6:45ish . . .

Dennis got an ice cream maker to support the cause of garden-inspired ice cream  (lemon balm?  basil?  lavender? suggestions?), and I was thinking we could harvest the beets to make my kids’ Brooklyn Botanic Garden camp favorite:  Chocolate Beet Cake.  Any one else with ideas is free to add an item, and all who can should join!

Chocolate Beet Cake Recipe (thanks to the BBG’s children’s programs!):

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened, divided (when we substitute cocoa, we only use 3/4 cup butter to cream with the brown sugar, and stick the last 1/4 cup in with the cocoa powder, so we use 1 cup — i.e., 2 sticks — of butter total)
• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar (we use 1 big cup of light brown, and that is fine and plenty sweet)
• 3 eggs
• 4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate (we have also used cocoa powder, with each chocolate square = 3 level Tbsp cocoa and 1 Tbsp butter)
• 2-3 cups pureed cooked beets (it’s a big bunch of beets; we steam them, and then the kids help grating them)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• confectioners’ sugar

1. In a mixing bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and brown sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Melt chocolate with remaining butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Blend chocolate mixture, beets and vanilla into the creamed mixture (mixture will appear separated). Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan (we just use a big rectangular cake pan — about 9X12). Bake at 375 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. Before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.