PINK NEON CAKE

Lemon-raspberry flavored cake with lemon-raspberry icing. Made with low income in mind, because that’s where I’m at. A plain cake sparkles with cheap. Neon all the way!

Makes 24 squares

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cake:

½ c. sugar

2 T. Wyler’s sugar-free, lemon flavor soft drink powder mix (purchase at Walgreen’s)

1 t. Wyler’s sugar-free, raspberry flavor soft drink powder mix

1 T. baking soda

1 t. salt

4 oz. or ¾ cup Dried Tropical Fruit Mix, contains: pineapple, apricot, coconut and papaya pieces (purchase in 1$ boxes at Walgreen’s)

¾ c. flaked coconut

2 c. flour

1 c. almond milk

2 t. vanilla extract

3 T. vegetable oil

Icing:

2 c. powdered sugar

1 t. Wyler’s lemon-flavored, soft drink powder mix

1 t. Wyler’s raspberry-flavored, soft drink powder mix

1 t. vanilla extract

3 T. water

In large bowl combine first 5 ingredients. Stir well dry ingredients.

Place dried fruit and coconut in food processor and process till mealy. Add to bowl and stir.

Add flour, stir again.

Add almond milk, stir and watch it swell up; keep stirring till it looks like mash.

Add vanilla and vegetable oil. Now beat the batter with delight. Nobody gets hurt with animal-free.

Liberally oil a 9 x 11 or 13 inch baking dish, bottom and sides. Pour batter into dish and l shake it to level it.

Place in preheated 375 degree oven, one rung up from bottom, and bake for 35 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean when inserted in middle of cake. Remove from oven.

Combine in bowl, powdered sugar, Wyler’s flavorings, vanilla and water, stirring well after each addition. Add water one tablespoon at a time till icing is smooth and a thickly fluid consistency. Spread over cake while it’s still hot. Let set to cool, then cut and serve.

Notes: Although most of my cakes are more traditional, I didn’t have much on hand today, so decided to do something wild. Wild worked. It was delicious. It comes out a little flat, meaning it didn’t rise real big. But each piece was a revelation. Cheap really can taste great!

This Pink Neon Cake can be elevated to party status with a little dab of white, yellow and/or brown frosting on each piece to make them into petit fours, or can be served with a spoon of animal-free whipped cream, a fresh raspberry or candied lemon peel and a mint leaf. Cut with a sharp knife if you want sharply defined edges.

Steve and I began one piece at a time, and before the night was gone, all but one strip remained–proof of how good this tasted. Sure, it wasn’t totally nutritious, but with the almond milk and fruit, it’s better than any cake in the grocery made with eggs.