Can there truly be a "healthy chocolate cake?" We think so.

With diabetes, there's nothing you can't eat. It's all about moderation. Still, if you can reduce the fat while boosting the nutrients in a food without noticing the difference—or even improving on the result—that's a huge win.

In this recipe, believe it or not (believe it!), beets add moisture without extra fat, and no one will be the wiser. It's so good, it doesn't even need icing!

Chocolate Beet Cake

Ingredients (serves 16)
3-4 medium beets
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup vegetable oil, divided
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Simmer halved or whole, unpeeled beats until tender, about 45 minutes. Rinse under cold water then peel when they're cool enough to handle, then puree. You should have about 2 cups of pureed beets.
2. Heat oven to 375F/190C. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
3. Melt chocolate and 1/4 cup of the oil in a microwave (use short bursts, stirring in-between) or in a bowl over simmering water.
4. Beat together eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Slowly beat in the remaining 3/4 cup of oil, pureed beets, melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Don't worry about the reddish color—it will bake to a perfect chocolate brown.
5. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt, just until incorporated.
6. Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan.
7. Bake about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
8. Let cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before removing cake from pan. Let cool completely, then dust with icing sugar before serving.

Nutritional facts (per serving)¹

Total carbohydrate  38 g
Sugars  23 g
Fibre  2 g
Calories  311
Total fat  18 g
Saturated fat  4 g
Protein  3 g
Cholesterol  12 mg
Sodium  210 mg