Ingredients:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 (8¼-ounce) can whole beets, drained and pureed in blender
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
¼ cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package cold fat-free cream cheese
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

To make cake, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk together beet puree, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vinegar in another medium bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until flour mixture is moistened (do not overmix). Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them about twothirds full.

Bake until cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Meanwhile, to make frosting, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in lemon zest.

Remove cupcakes from muffin pan. With narrow metal spatula, spread about 1 tablespoon frosting over each cupcake.