Beet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, peel beets using a vegetable peeler.

Grate beets, using the large holes of a grater, to measure 2 cups.

Coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with wax paper.

Coat wax paper with cooking spray.

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended.

Add beets; beat well. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.

Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans.

Carefully peel off wax paper, and cool cake completely on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, beat orange rind, vanilla, and cream cheese with a mixer at high speed until fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat).

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with ½ cup frosting; top with remaining cake layer.

Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

Sprinkle nuts over top of cake.

Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.