Red devil cake

Date:    Wed, 08 Dec 93 09:55:31 EST
 From:    Christina Hulbe 
 
 Gateau Rouge Diable
                by Hulbe
 
 2    Cups  unbleached all-purpose flour
 1    Tbsp  baking soda
 1/2  tsp   salt
 3/4  Cup   cocoa (not Dutched)
 3/4  Cup   boiling water
 2/3  Cup   raisins
 1/2  Cup   boiling water
 3/4  Cup   beets, cooked
 1    Cup   cool water
 1    Tbsp  cornstarch
 4    tsp   artificial sweetener (sugar twin is one
                  that remains sweet after cooking)
            (or 1/4 Cup sucanat)
 1    tsp   vanilla
 
   Put raisins in a small bowl and pour over 1/2 cup boiling water.
 Set asside to steep for 20 minutes.  In a large bowl, blend
 together cocoa and 3/4 Cup boiling water.  Set cocoa asside to cool.
   Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch cake pan with
 non-stick spray.  Dust pan with 1 or 2 Tbsp flour, coating completely.
   Over a medium bowl, sift together flour, soda, and salt.  Transfer
 raisins and water to the beaker of a hand-held mixer or blender and
 puree.  Add beets and and 3/4 of the 1 cup cool water to
 the puree.  Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/4 cup water.  Stir
 raisin and beet puree, dissolved cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla into
 cocoa mixture.  Before proceding, this mixture should be at room
 temperature.
   Quickly stir dry ingredients into cocoa mixture.  Do not stir
 longer than needed to thouroughly mix the two.  Scrape batter into
 prepared pan and smooth the surface.  Bake on top shelf for 35 to 40
 minutes, or until a toothpick inderted in the middle of the cake
 comes out clean.
   Let cake sit in pan for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove to a
 wire rack.  Cool cake completely before cutting.
 
 total:  1483 calories   10.75 grams Fat, 6.5%
 per 1/6  250 calories   (using sugar twin)