Pretty In Pink Speckled Cake

Photo: Jo Ann

Ingredients

Cake batter:

5 ounces (about 1 medium) raw beets, grated

7 ounces fluid peanut oil

1 1/4 cups raw (or regular) sugar

3 mediums eggs, separated

3 tablespoons milk

1 cup hazelnuts, roasted and chopped

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg

Frosting:

3/4 cup (1 & ½ sticks) un salted butter, softened

cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 cups low-fat cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter two 8-inch springform pans with 3-inch sides. Line the bottom with baking paper and butter this also. Place about 1 teaspoon of the grated beets in a small bowl, cover it with 2 teaspoons boiling water, and set aside (this is to the color the frosting later on).

Beat the oil and sugar in a large bowl, then beat in the egg yolks and milk, and fold in the remaining beets and nuts. Sift the flour and baking powder together and stir this into the batter, and then the spices. Using clean beater, beat the egg whites in another bowl until they are stiff, and fold them in three stages into the batter. Divide this between the pans, smoothing the surface, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until shrinking from the sides of and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Run knife around the edge of the cakes, unhinge the sides, and let them cool.

To make the frosting, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar in a food processor. Remove the frosting to a bowl, blend with the cream cheese until smooth, and work in the vanilla extract and a couple teaspoons of the beets liquor to tint it a pale pink.

Turn the cakes onto a board and remove the baking paper. Spread about a quarter of the frosting over the top of one of the cakes, sandwich with the other, and use the remaining frosting to coat the top and sides. Decorate the top and sides with sugar flowers and place in the fridge to set for about 1 hour. If not serving right away, then cover with plastic wrap and chill, and remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.