Beet Juice Is The Unexpected Key To Extending The Shelf Life Of Baked Goods

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The next time you have leftover beet juice from a can, instead of pouring it down the drain, save it for baking. Yes, you heard me right, reserve that beet juice for your baked goodies. Why, you ask? Well, aside from this being one of 12 creative ways to use liquid from canned beets, beet juice adds moisture and sweetness to your baked goods, and can even extend their shelf life. I saw this firsthand when I was testing brownie recipes for my cookbook, "108 Asian Cookies," and the cakes in "Modern Asian Baking at Home."

When baking cakes and brownies, one of the first things that disappears in the oven is moisture. When cooling at room temperature, out in the open, more moisture dissipates from the baked goodies. Beet juice's added moisture helps keep the crumb tender and cakes and brownies softer for longer. My doubanjiang red velvet brownies were still moist and tender two days post-baking. 

Then there's that added sweetness. In addition to the natural sugars found in beets acting as preservatives, they allow for a touch less refined (or processed) sugar without sacrificing flavor when added to baked goodies.

When adding beets or beet juice to my baked goodies, I like to add a touch of vinegar, be it apple cider, rice, or white, especially when I want to preserve their vibrant ruby-redness. The acidity in vinegar helps prevent the beet's natural ruby hues from fading into dull browns or turning too dark once exposed to heat. This way, you can skip adding any extra red food coloring to your desserts. 

An added bonus to incorporating vinegar in baked goodies is that it, in tandem with the sugars found in beets, further extends the shelf life of food, like cakes and brownies. Acidity, after all, inhibits mold and bacterial growth in food; thus, when incorporated, it keeps your baked goodies from spoiling quickly.

So, the next time you're ready to bake chocolate cakes or brownies (and they don't have to be red velvet themed), be sure to add that beet juice instead of discarding it. And now you know why you should never get rid of the liquid from canned beets.