Eggless Mix-fruit Cake with Praline

I was thinking which cake should I bake for DH's birthday. I thought a lot and finally decided for mix fruit cake. Basic recipe is from  Manjula's blog with few changes.

Ingredients:

           2-1/2 cup all purpose flour (maida)

           1 can (7oz) sweetened condense milk

           2  20 oz can mix fruits

           2 teaspoon baking powder

           1 teaspoon baking soda

           1/2 teaspoon salt

           1 cup melted butter

           

Method

Preheat the oven at 325 degrees (F). I used 9" round pan to bake this cake. Prepare the pan by greasing and flouring. Drain the fruits and keep the water aside for further use. Sift all the dry ingredients together. Now add 1 cup water drained from fruits and 1 cup fruits, butter and condense milk. Fold dry and wet ingredients together. Pour the mixture in prepared pan. Bake for 40 mins and check if it is done by inserting a tooth pick in the center of the cake. If toothpick comes out clean that means the cake is done. Take out the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 min before turning it on a wire rack. Cool thoroughly. My cake din't get hump, trim your cake if it has got hump. Cut the cake in  half  to make two layers. Pour some drained water from fruits on the cake with the help of spoon. If don't have any water left you can pour mix fruit juice or sugar water.

Doesn't a cake seem more delicious when decorated with frosting? I used cool whip for icing which taste delicious. First the cake need a crumb coat. Start by spreading a thin layer of icing onto the cake. Don’t worry if there are crumbs in the icing, this is expected. The icing layer is so thin that you will see the cake and crumbs. Keep the cake in the fridge for 15 min to set the crumb coat. Once the crumb coat is set continue with the icing. 

Praline Ingredients:

150g caster sugar

65ml water

Broken cashews

Method:

Grease a tray and keep it aside. Heat the sugar and water in a heavy bottom pan. Don't stir the liquid as we want it to be caramelised. Watch carefully. When it is light brown colour pour it on the greased tray and sprinkle the broken cashews. Let it sit for 20 mins. It should come out as a glass.

I made few batches of it. You can break it and decorate your cake with it.