Naturally Red Velvet Doughnuts

To prepare doughnuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously coat 12 standard-size doughnut pan cups with cooking spray.

Process beets in a food processor until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add granulated sugar, egg yolk and salt; process until completely smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add buttermilk and 1 tablespoon vanilla; process, scraping down the sides as needed, until evenly incorporated.

Combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, pomegranate powder, cocoa and baking powder in a medium bowl. Beat oil and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thoroughly blended. With the mixer on low speed, alternately mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into the oil mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients and scraping down the sides as needed, until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared doughnut cups.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of a doughnut in the center of the pan comes out clean, 13 to 16 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the doughnuts from the pan, inverting so the bottoms become the tops, and let cool completely on the rack.

To prepare frosting: Beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Dip the doughnuts in the frosting. Let stand for about 5 minutes so the frosting can set.