This is my own create and innovation.!

Well,I’m not blowing my own trumpet,this cake

was really,an absolute taste of flavours!

Adorned half of the cake with cashew nut

fondant,and the flavour was rich.

With soaked fruits in brandy,and a little

beetroot wine,the aroma it spread confirmed

Christmas in the air .

Finally no colour was added,( I don’t like to use

much coloring ),and the red colour was

extracted by boiling the beetroot ( slightly

ground) till I got the required colour .

The authentic red velvet cake had no colour ,it

was ground beetroot purée or extracts.

The feedback given by my loving ‘ food critics’

was ‘It’s Awesome’ and better than the basic

fruit cake .

To the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

100 gm butter

2 eggs

150 gm flour

75 gm brown sugar

30 gm white sugar

1/2 cup almonds ground

25 gm cashew nuts chopped

15 gm ginger preserve/ ginger chips

15 gm pumpkin preserve

15 gm raisins

15 gm sultanas

15 gm black raisins

Few apricots

15 gm tutti frutti(optional )

15 gm cherries (optional)

5 gm orange rind grated

2 tbsp jam (blueberry/cherry/ marmalade/

strawberry)

1/4 cup brandy/rum

2-3 tbsp beetroot wine or red wine

1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp nutmeg powder

1/2 tsp allspice powder

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp almond essence

1 cup beetroot extract*

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cocoa powder

A pinch of salt

1 tsp cornflour to sprinkle on the soaked fruits

before adding to the batter.

METHOD

•Mix the bold listed ingredients and allow to

soak for a few hours or 1 day .

•Beat the butter and sugars till creamy .

•Add in one egg at a time and beat lightly .

•Sieve the flour,baking powder,cocoa powder

together.

•Now fold in the flour,nuts ,soaked fruits,

beetroot juice and the rest of the ingredients

alternatively into the butter mixture and mix

till well corporated .

• Line the baking tray with parchment paper.

•Transfer the cake batter into the prepared

cake tray and bake in a preheated 175C oven

for 35-40 minutes.

•Insert a skewer,and if it comes out clean,it’s

done.

•Poke holes and pour brandy (2-3 tsp) on the

top after baking.

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For the cashew fondant

1 cup finely ground cashew

1 tsp glycerine

A little egg white to bind

1 cup icing sugar ( depends on the binding)

2 drops rose essence

2 drops almond essence

Bind all the ingredients to a soft dough

consistency.

Roll out on a board dusted with icing sugar

or cornflour.

Place the rolled dough on the cooled cake ( Put the fondant the next day )

You can add sliced pistachios if you like.

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*Beetroot extract

3-4 beetroot peeled and ground coarsely.

Cook in 2 cups water,till it is reduced to 1.

Strain and use.