Juan (Joan's) Rainbow Cake - Baking Partner's Challenge

Do you guys remember the Joan's Rainbow cake from the malayalam movie 'Salt and Pepper'??All my mallu frenz would have definitely watched it.The movie casts Lal & Shweta Menon in the lead roles.To my friends who haven't watched this movie,highlighting the brief contents of the movie.In this the actress calls the actor by mistake and orders for 'dosa and chutney' and very soon they are held together by the common love for food and romance is in air.Lal(actor) gives the recipe of Joan's rainbow cake and soon they both try it at different homes,yet together.The story behind the cake as narrated in the movie is very interesting but to my knowledge its just a tale and nothing much in real.The story is about Juan,a french lady who awaits the return of her love from second world war,fighting far away from home.On the first day,she bakes a delicious starwberry cake for him.On the second day,she bakes a pista cake and waits again.On the third day of wait,she bakes an orange cake.He still didnot turn up.She went to bed disappointed and the next morning she finds her love arrived with a gift of good chocolates for her.She finally combines the cake with cream and poured melted chocolate over it.She served this to her loved one and they ate it in remembrance of his return and their everlasting love.

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Juan baked the cake for her love and I baked the cake for my loved ones.The cake was suggested by me to the baking partners and Swathi consented to the cake.The cake has all real fruit and nut flavors and is very delicious.Few members who tried hadn't achieved the desired results and turned out dense,so being on the safer side,use cake flour to bake the cake if you plan to bake.The cake is of a slightly dense nature because of the fruit pulp but soft.It is more of a wheat flour cake texture especially the strawberry layer.This cake can be served as a dessert.I baked only half the quantity as listed to bake the cake(as in pic) as only kids are fond of cream cakes and I was afraid to waste the rest of the cake.Enjoy !!

Adapted :Anzz's Cafe

for strawberry cake

all purpose flour 1 cup(use cake flour)

baking powder 1 tsp

fresh strawberries 200 g

sugar 2 tbsp + 1/2 cup

water 1/3 cup

egg 1,at room temperature

unsalted butter 3 1/2  tbsp(50g)

strawberry extract  1tsp (optional)

red food color 2 drops

for pistachio cake

all purpose flour 1 cup

baking powder 1 tsp

pistachio 1 cup hulled

granulated sugar 1/2 cup

milk 1/2 cup

egg 1

unsalted butter  3 1/2 tbsp (50 g)

pistachio extract 1tsp(optional)

green food color  2 drops

for orange cake

orange juice fresh 1/2-1 cup

orange rind 1tsp

all purpose flour 1 cup

baking powder 1tsp

unsalted butter 3 1/2 tbsp(50gm)

egg 1

orange extract 1/2 tsp(optional)

orange food color 2 drops

for assembling 

whipping cream,cold 250 ml

icing sugar /confectioners sugar 3tbsp

chocolate shavings 1/2 cup

sugar beads or any other sprinkles

fresh strawberries

Method

FOR STRAWBERRY CAKE

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F,butter your cake pan 8" or line with a parchment paper.Keep aside.
• Sift the flour and baking powder twice or thrice,keep aside.

• Wash and hull strawberries,chop the strawberries.Combine the chopped strawberries,sugar(2 tbsp) and water in a small sauce pan.Cook till softened,cool the mixture and puree to a paste.
• Using a hand blender,beat the butter and sugar until creamy.Add the egg and mix well.

• Add the flour mixture little by little along with strawberries puree,mix until combined.Pour this in the prepared pan and spread evenly.

• Bake for 35-40  minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool on wire rack and cool completely.

FOR PISTACHIO CAKE

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F,butter your cake pan or line with a parchment paper.Keep aside.
• Sift the flour and baking powder twice or thrice,keep aside.
• Soak the pistcahios in milk for two hours and then using a blender,puree to a smooth paste.

• Using a hand blender,beat the butter and sugar until creamy.Add the egg and mix well.
• Add the flour mixture little by little along with pistachio puree,mix until combined.Pour this in the prepared pan and spread evenly.

• Bake for 35-40  minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool on wire rack and cool completely.

 FOR ORANGE CAKE

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F,butter your cake pan or line with a parchment paper.Keep aside.
• Sift the flour and baking powder twice or thrice,keep aside.Add the grated orange rind.

• Cut the oranges in half and quarters and then add to the blender,squeeze the juice using a blender.Strain the juice completely.
• Using a hand blender,beat the butter and sugar until creamy.Add the egg,orange extract(if using) and mix well.

• Add the flour mixture little by little along with orange juice,food color,mix until combined.Pour this in the prepared pan and spread evenly.
• Bake for 35-40  minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool on wire rack and cool completely.

FOR ASSEMBLING

• for whipped cream frosting-Beat the cream in a grease free bowl with a hand mixer by adding little by little icing sugar.Add to combine until stiff peaks form(takes about 4-5 mins).Refrigerate until use.
• Trim the cakes to the same size so that it looks of equal size.

• Add a dollop of whipped cream on the cake base,place the strawberry cake.Then,add another dollop of whipped cream,place pista cake.Then,place the orange cake.
• Add the whipped cream crumb frosting and spread evenly.Refrigerate for 1 hour to set.
• After one hour,add more whipped cream and spread evenly.Decorate with free designs as per your choice.Refrigerate another 2 hours,add chocolate shavings and fresh sliced strawberries.
• Serve sliced  or refrigerate & enjoy !!

NOTES
* Use cake flour to bake the cake esp the strawberry layer.This was my first trial and whenever I bake next I would definitely do that.If yo wish to substitute cake flour,then use fill a cup with 2tbsp of corn starch and rest with all purpose flour.Sift well and your cake flour is ready.
* Also,keep in mind to add  milk,orange juice and strawberry puree gradually and don't add all together(as per the consistency of the cake batter).Don't make the batter too thin nor get it very thick,the ribbon consistency is good.

* You can use 1/4cup cream and good quality chocolate to make a chocolate topping instead of chocolate shavings.Heat the cream in a microwave and  add the chocolate pieces.Stir until chocolate is melted and forms a smooth paste.Pour this over the whipped cream frosted cake as topping.
* I haven't used red and green food color.It is the natural color.I have used orange food color for the orange cake.I haven't used pistachio essence instead used vanilla extract and omitted the orange extract as well as the fresh orange flavors are strong.Also,I have used strawberry syrup instead of strawberry extract.
* I made a very small cake using half of all the ingredients listed so I have used 9* 5*3 pan separated with a parchment paper.You can use the same ingredients and bake in the same pan or use 8" round pan.

Sending this to Swathi's Baking Partner's Challenge 

Linking this to Nupur's What's with my Cuppa Edition 4 & Sweet Treats Event hosted by Gloria's@Pepper Chilli & vanilla & Monu's@ Recipe Passion