Ingredients:

• Eggless sponge cake:
• 1/2 cup – chopped nuts (walnut, almonds, cashews, raisins, etc.)
• 1/4 cup – tutti frutti bits
• 8-10 – dried figs, chopped
• 1 cup – white Butter icing
• 1/2 cup – cream, fresh
• 1/2 cup – icing Sugar
• 1/4 cup – water
• 2 tbsp – sugar, granulated
• 1/2 cup – canned Cherries
• 10-12 – iced green leaves
• 5-6 – glaced Cherries
• Green coloured Sugar (optional)

Method:

1. Follow any eggless cake recipe for making the batter. Once batter is ready, fold in the nuts and tutti frutti.
2. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 C for 7 minutes and 170 C for 25 minutes.
3. Alter as per individual ovens, if required.
4. Check if done by passing a skewer through the centre of the cake.
5. Cool tin well before unmolding as for an eggless sponge.
6. Warm water and granulated sugar till it dissolves.
7. Halve or quarter figs and immerse in the water.
8. Soak for 10 minutes. Keep aside.
9. Cut in half horizontally. Place cut sides up.
10. Use the water in which the figs were soaked or canned cherry syrup.
11. Sprinkle generously on both halves of the cake till soaked.
12. Beat chilled cream and icing sugar till thick and light.
13. Fold in drained cherries.
14. Place lower half of the cake in a cake plate.
15. Pile on the whipped cream and spread.
16. Arrange the drained figs on cream. Put the upper half of cake on it.
17. Cover the whole cake with white butter icing.
18. Smoothen with a knife.
19. Decorate with piped icing, iced leaves, glaced cherries, and coloured sugar; or use your choice of decorations.
20. Cool in the fridge for at least half an hour before cutting.
21. Variation: Change the choice of fruit or dry fruit as per you choice.

Recipe courtesy of Saroj Kering