Marie's Beetroot Cake and a Birthday Wish~

It's my childhood friend's birthday Aug 26th..

Don't let that cute little uncertain face fool you..she is ..the most happy..positive.. grab everything in life that you can..including..Rock concerts..Sting..Paul Mc Cartney.. Rod Stewart.. cruises.. etc let's grab life by it's soul person:)
A great daughter..sister..spouse and friend to many..
Ever since we were young..she always had so many friends..and it's continued through life~..


..I was so anxious to make Maries' Beetroot cake..I made it..and iced it as if it was for her.

So here's to you Jojo~

It's a great cake..And Marie's recipes are always winning recipes at our home..

I enjoyed every aspect of making this cake..
I bought fresh QC beets at the market..
Used my mom's grater to grate them..Her Bake Rite round pans w/ the thingie that unmolds them..You turn it around..
I enjoyed making the NATURAL food coloring..I may freeze a few beets to see if it can be done..

The cake is a keeper..like a carrot cake.. and the little red flecks are so pretty..

Well there's nothing I don't like about this cake.
A perfect birthday cake..
I've been going through Pink withdrawal w/ 4 grandsons..So I did what marie said and Pinked it:)

Jacques didn't mind at all.
He said:" Wow c'est beau!" He's spent his life w/ pink..he's enjoying the blues.. so am I..too.

La Recette~

Courtesy of The English Kitchen~

*Pretty In Pink Polkadot Cake*
Serves 9

Marie's Intro to her perfect cake:)
Moist and spicy with intriguing pink speckles throughout. Your guests will be quite surprised when they find out where all that pretty colour comes from! I like to think this is quite healthy and a good way to have your vegetables and eat your cake too!

CAKE:
150g raw beetroot, peeled and grated (about 4 medium beetroot)
200ml sunflower oil (2/3 cup)
250g golden caster sugar (1 1/4 cup)
3 large eggs, separated
3 TBS milk
100g chopped walnuts, toasted (scant cup)
200g plain flour (scant 1 1/2 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground nutmeg (I like to grate my nutmeg fresh)
1/2 cup really good quality strawberry jam for filling
FROSTING:
180g butter, softened (about 3/4 cup)
150g icing sugar, sifted (1 generous cupful)
450g low fat cream cheese (2 cups, or 16 ounces)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pink sugar flowers and pink glitter to decorate

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.. Grease two nine inch cake tins really well and dust with flour. Set aside. (alternately you can line with baking paper and grease it as well)

Remove about 1 tsp of the grated beetroot into a small bowl and cover with 2 teaspoons of boiling water and set this aside. (You will use this to colour the icing)

Whisk the sugar and the oil together in a bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the milk. Fold in the remaining beetroot and the nuts. It will look quite revoltingly red but don't let this alarm you in the least! (trust me!)

Sift together the flour, baking powder and the spices. Stir this mixture into the beaten mixture. Whip the egg whites until stiff with an egg beater and then fold them into the cake mixture in three additions, being careful not to over fold. Fold only to incorporate fully. Divide the batter evenly amongst the two prepared pans.

Bake in the heated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, only until the cake tests done and shrinks away a bit from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Run a knife around the edges and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the frosting by beating the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Blend in the cream cheese until smooth and then work in the vanilla. Add some of the reserved beetroot liquor a little at a time to help tint the icing a pretty pink.

Remove the cake from the pans and place one layer in the middle of a pretty plate. Spread about 1/4 of the frosting on top of this layer. Spread the strawberry jam over top leaving about half an inch border around the edges with just icing. Carefully sandwich the other layer on top. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides, spreading it evenly and swirling it somewhat on the top. Decorate with the sugar flowers and sprinkle on some pink glitter to finish.

Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to set. If not serving straight away, cover with cling film and chill. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you want to serve it.

I couldn't find the little sugared roses I made so I opted for a hand painted sugar cookie and fondant baroque embellishment..also a few sugar flowers and some pastel sprinkles..The magic wand..
Waving fairy dust on Jojo..Marie..and everyone visiting~

Happy Birthday Dear Jojo..