Thursday, August 25, 2011

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..

26 comments:

  1. What a magical shot of that cake, Monique. You are amazing! I've put a bookmark on this one. Definitely going to make this. Fun reading your notes on making this. I have a pan just like the one you mention. ;-)
    Happy Birthday to Jojo. She is going to smile when she reads this beautiful post. ~ Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  2. Magical photos as always and Happy Birthday to your friend JoJo ~ she is going to love her birthday this year I can tell.....
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  3. Une publication avec des photos magnifiques... Ce devrait être un véritable plaisir pour ton amie... Un bel hommage pour son anniversaire...
    Joyeux anniversaire, Jojo!
    Gros bisous à toi ma chère Nana qui m'apporte toujours ce grain de joie lorsque je me promène dans ton blog...
    Seulement je suis un peu triste, car je ne pourrai revenir m'y balader qu'à la mi-septembre, date de mon retour...
    En attendant, je te fais de gros bisous... et hum!! mes papilles sont en alerte rouge! en lisant tes recettes...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy birthday Jojo...
    I would really love to taste this cake M.
    Beautiful photos...
    xoxo~Kathy @
    sweet Up-North Mornings...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jojo's cake is magically beautiful! Aren't friends, especially those that have been with us since childhood, wonderful? I, who have been pink deprived for decades, will be making this cake. Maybe for my sweet DIL who has a birthday on 8/26 as well. Alas, it will have to be another time since she is in New England and I am in the midwest.

    Best,
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such a lucky friend, Jojo is....what a special cake, indeed magical!
    We are celebrating here too, Wesley's birthday tomorrow...!
    Have a super weekend my friend
    Shel xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. WOW!
    simply Exquisite!
    You're a wonder and I'm thrilled with the movie recs too :)
    merci
    carolg

    ReplyDelete
  8. It looked gorgeous on the outside... I was dying to see what the inside looked like... is it deep dark red??? MMMM What a lovely homage to an old friend!

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's more like a carrot cake ..but yes darker..and w/ flecks:)

    Carol..did you get my non Netflix recommendation of "My Afternoons with Marguerite"..first recommended to me by an artst you would love..My French kitchen..Ronelle.
    You are 2 kindred spirits:)
    That is such a dear movie..G Depardieu..be still my heart~
    Shel..you have a great weekend also..Take Care..There is a new apron in store for you one day:)

    Bonnie.. that birthdate is a special date:) Lovely people..

    Martine..I will miss you..
    Sarah I hope you enjoy it..it's a bit MEish:)The flecks..the juice..yes..it's you:)
    Karen you know Marie..I think it would be great for your B and B:)

    Enjoy everyone..Marie has amazing recipes.
    We know:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. A pretty pink cake with flecks - how special for your lovely childhood friend Jojo - I have 2 grand-daughters Monique and I know they would just love this cake.
    Have a wonderful weeek-end and take care. xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Monique, you can make me a magical cake anytime! How pretty, what artistry! I have never heard of a beet root cake, but your description of it being like a carrot cake only pink sounds fantastic (and healthy too, right?)

    You made my day with your comments on my photos. I tried some new things yesterday - of course it made a lot more mess in the kitchen as if blogging isn't messy enough and I wondered if it was worth it. Your sweet words are the encouragement I needed. I keep wanting to improve! I guess that is half the fun too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. The beets must make it a beautiful color. I love beets. I haven't had a pink cake in decades either :) Lauren's favorite is still the Lemon Cream Cake and Lindsay's is the Chocolate Chiffon Toffee Cake so there's no deviation for birthdays here!

    I think it's wonderful you still have childhood friendships like Jojo and I'm sure she feels the same about you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. So happy you enjoyed this cake Monique!! It is one of our favourites for sure. Yours looks so very pretty! (Of course!!) Happy Birthday to Jojo! xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  14. Old friends are life's special treasures. How wonderful to make this very special cake in Jo-jo's honor. I can imagine how delicious and pretty it is, Monique. We love carrot cake and I'm sure there would be lots of oohh's and aahh's when I cut into this one. They would never expect a pink cake.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mmmm....now I want cake! What a great idea for food coloring. Happy Birthday to Jojo!
    Cheers,
    Ry

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love carrot cake and this recipe sounds fantastic and with that cream cheese icing I know it has to be good. I was also my husband's birthday on the 26th
    Rita

    ReplyDelete
  17. Aug 26th..Great day for a birthday..makes nice people:)
    Hope you had a nice day with him Rita..

    Ry it's so nice to see your beautiful photos again..maybe if I don't stop telling you you will keep us company more regularly again:)

    Jacqueline I meant it!

    Have a great weekend everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  18. You take great pictures! This cakes sounds so moist and wonderful. I like the idea of beets rather than food colouring.

    ReplyDelete
  19. beetroot cake! This is the 2nd time I've seen a recipe this week! Time to try!

    ReplyDelete
  20. wow!!! that cake will be simply delicious!!!...wish I could cook like you!ツ
    hugs
    lila

    ReplyDelete
  21. OMGoodness, Aug. 26th is MY b-day too!!!!! How I would love to ahve a piece of this cake! First of all, it looks too pretty to eat, but I could force myself:):) You take THE most beautiful pictures! I need some lessons from YOU! XO, Pinky

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow, that is beautiful and so unusual.

    I love beets, one of my favorite vegetables, forever. I know we would love this cake. Your decorations are 'icing on the cake' ~ truly, the old saying comes to life. Very, very nicely done. xoxo

    P.S. I'm interested in the natural food coloring, too.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have never made a cake with beets before. What a beautiful looking cake.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I've always wanted to make a cake with beets! They are so sweet and pretty. What a wonderful recipe - I can;t wait to try it!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Happy belated birthday!
    My friend was so sweet and emailed me.I am glad she saw it:)
    Helene your latest cake takes the cake too.
    I think I will give that book as a Christmas gift to my friend who adores and has lived in Ireland..she isn't a sweet eater..but just the recipe of your cake..she could do for all her guests:)
    Thanks Katie..

    Next year..hope to have cake w/ her in person:)

    ReplyDelete
  26. This looks really very delicious. I must try this.

    ReplyDelete