A. Tulsi Apple cake

Ingredients

1. Maida/All purpose flour- 2 cups

2. Apples green/red- 2, peeled and grated

3. Baking powder-2 tsp

4. Baking Soda- 1½ tsp

5. Eno- ½  tsp

6. Butter, melted- ½ cup

7. Sugar- 1 cup

8. Milk-7 tsp

9. Salt- a pinch

10. vanilla/rose essence- ½ tsp

11. Colour- green/orange-red- ½ tsp

12. kismis- 2 tsp

13. whipped cream/ 1 cup heavy cream whipped with 3-4 Tbsp sugar

14. Apple pieces

Method

1. Mix and sieve together properly-Maida, baking powder, salt, Soda and eno.

2.  Beat sugar and butter till smooth and creamy, approximately for 5 minutes.

3. Add  Milk  to the above dry powders. Beat for 1-2 minutes.

4. Slowly add in the beaten sugar-butter mixture. Beat for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add in apples, kismis, essence and colour. Beat well for 2-3 minutes.

6. Grease a 6 or 8 inch round baking tray with ghee/oil and dust with maida.

7. Pour the batter and bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes or till a toothpick comes out dry when pierced in the center.

8. Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes. Invert it and cool for 2-3 hours for easy slicing

9. Cut into half and ice with whipping cream mixed with apple pieces.

10. Join the 2 halves and ice with butter cream icing.

11. Add the green fondant Tulsi leaves immediately on the wet icing.

12. Offer the Tulsi cake to the Lord and serve as prasadam.

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B. Butter cream Icing  (makes 3 cups)

Ingredients

1. Butter- half cup

2. Vegetable shortening- half cup

3. Confectioners sugar- 1 pound

4. Water-3-4 tbsp (can add more if thinner consistency is needed)

5. Vanilla essence-half tsp

6. Green colour- ½ tsp

Method- Mix all the above and beat well. Can add more water if thinner consistency is desired.

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C. Tulsi leaves (made 2-7 days ahead)

 Ingredients

1. White fondant coloured green/ ready to use green fondant

2. Cornstarch- half cup

Method

1. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick on Roll & Cut Mat lightly dusted with cornstarch. Cut leaves using Cut-Outs bought from shops or made at home on a cardboard.

2. For veins on the  leaves, place leaf on thin foam. Using veining tool/blunt side of knife, mark vein lines, starting with center line. Add branch veins on both sides of center vein.

3. Remove leaf from foam and let dry. For curved leaves, dry on flower formers/ on the edge of any curved  utensil/ inside a cup for different types of curvatures so desired. The utensil should be dusted with cornstarch first.