Shimmering Pink Cake

I have gone shimmering pink with my cake for “Going Pink October 2007”. I know I’m early but I wanted to spread the word around!

I have a close friend who now is in remission for breast cancer. I watched her progress through different stages of treatment; she underwent surgery and chemotherapy treatment. I even watched her beautiful long hair fall out over time, her answer to this, “I can wear a wig until it grows back”! She always has a smile and she fully tackled this stage in her life with strength and grace.

If you’re an avid baker and you feel like celebrating “Going Pink,” with a slice of cake and a cup of tea with your family and friends, here is my recipe.

Shimmering Pink Cake

Serves 8 – 10

Ingredients
250g (9 oz) Plain flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
100g (4 oz) butter, softened
250g (9 oz) Caster sugar
2 Eggs
175 ml (6 fl oz) Milk
170g (5½ oz) raspberries, slightly crushed with a fork
Few drops of edible pink food colouring
Pink Icing
450g (1 lb) Icing sugar, sifted
50g (2 oz) butter, softened
50 ml (2 fl oz) Milk
Few drops of edible pink food colouring
Pink & white Sprinkles, pink sugar strands, for decoration
Fresh pink rose bud (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/fan oven 150°C/350°F/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm (8 in) square cake tin, line the base with baking paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder and Bicarbonate of soda together and leave to one side in a bowl.

Put the sugar and butter into a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the flour mixture and then add the slightly crushed raspberries and milk. Mix in a few drops of edible pink food colouring until you achieve the required colour.

Spoon into the tin and bake for about 45 – 50 minutes or until cooked. It should feel firm to touch when cooked. You can also test by inserting a skewer into the middle of the cake, which will come out clean when cooked.

Leave in the tin for 10 minutes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Peel away the baking paper when the cake is cold.

When cake is cold, make the icing by beating all ingredients together, spread over the cake and sprinkle on some sugar strands, sprinkles, and a pink rose bud.