3 medium beets (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1/2 cup water

Directions:
In a saucepan cover beets with salted water by 1 inch. Bring water to a boil and simmer beets, covered, until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Drain beets in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Slip off skins and with a hand held grater coarsely shred enough beets to measure 1 1/2 cups.

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk together. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil until smooth.

Add beets and cocoa powder to sugar mixture and beat until combined well. Add flour mixture and water to beet mixture and beat just until combined. Pour batter into pan, smoothing top, and bake in middle of oven 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering.

Cool cake in pan on a rack and cut into serving pieces.

Makes one cake.

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