Beetroot Cake

Ingredients
CREAM CHEESE ICING TOPPING
 * 625 	 ml   all-purpose flour
 * 10 	ml baking powder
 * 7 	ml bicarbonate of soda
 * 15 	ml mixed spice
 * 5 	ml salt
 * 375 	ml sugar
 * 315 	ml sunflower oil
 * 4 	large eggs
 * 500 	ml peeled and grated beetroots
 * 250 	ml chopped pecan nuts
 * 65 	ml apricot jam
 * 500 	g cream cheese
 * 85 	ml icing sugar, sifted
 * 10 	ml grated orange rind
 * 375 	ml sugar
 * 315 	ml water
 * 3 	medium beetroots, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

 * 1) Preheat oven to 190 ºC.
 * 2) Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and salt twice.
 * 3) In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil and eggs.
 * 4) Add beetroot, nuts and jam and mix well.
 * 5) Sift in flour mixture and mix well.
 * 6) Pour into a greased deep 20 cm diameter baking pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.
 * 7) Cool slightly in pan, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
 * 8) Spread thickly with icing and decorate with candied beetroot topping.
 * 9) Place cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
 * 10) Fold in icing sugar and gently mix in orange peel.
 * 11) Place 250 ml (1 cup) each of the sugar and water in a saucepan.
 * 12) Bring to the boil.
 * 13) Add beetroot and reduce heat to moderate.
 * 14) Boil for 25 minutes.
 * 15) Remove beetroot slices.
 * 16) Combine remaining sugar and water in another saucepan and boil until sugar dissolves.
 * 17) Transfer beetroot to this mixture and cool.
 * 18) Store beetroot in syrup in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.