Red Beet Chocolate Cup Cakes with Cashew Frosting

Here is my veganized version of a recipe that came in our box of veggies last week. The original recipe came from recipezaar.com
Enjoy ~
Red Beet Chocolate Cake
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup beets (steamed or canned), pureed
8 dates, pitted and pureed with the beets

3/4 cup water + 1/4 cup ground flax seed, blended well in a mixer
1/2 cup sugar or equivalent of another sweetener
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup safflower oil
2/3 cup rice milk
1 tsp vanilla


Preheat Oven 350. Grease 12-16 cup cake tins. Mix together the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together the wet ingredients plus the beets and dates in a large bowl. Gradually, add the dry ingredients, and mix until smooth, but do not over mix. Pour (or scoop) the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cup cake top bounces back when lightly pressed. Cool and frost. The original recipe said store overnight to enhance flavor. If you have that kind of will power, go for it. Otherwise, dig in!

Cashew Frosting:

scant 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 30 minutes to an hour)
juice of one lemon
3 dates, pitted
1/4 tsp vanilla
water

Blend the cashews, lemon juice, dates and vanilla in a food processor while gradually adding the water until a thick, frosting like paste forms.