Also known as Sunshine on a Plate
In line with my trip to the spice souk, I was inspired to make cake with the help of the goddess, Nigella Lawson and her beautiful recipe. It doesn’t follow her guidelines down to the spoon but I’ve managed to adapt a lot of her ideas into the cake.
I didn’t plan it but the cake turned out to be both Gluten and Dairy free. The flour in the cake is a mixture of ground almonds, coconut flour, polenta and fine semolina. The eggs give it a beautiful moist texture and aerate the cake when baked. A few sploshes of virgin coconut ensure the cake is moist and gives it a beautiful texture.
When using cardamom powder, be generous as the cake is supposed to have a strong cardamom flavour. However, when adding the rose water be careful not to add too much as a little goes a long way and could overpower the entire cake. Who knew something this beautiful and yummy could be healthy?!
Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla powder
- 125g castor sugar
- 100g almond powder
- 50g coconut flour
- 50g polenta
- 40g gluten free semolina
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3 tbps + 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 180 g apricots (whole)
- 250ml water
- 2 tbsp rose water
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp honey
- 50ml coconut oil
- Handful pumpkin seeds
Method:
- Line a 9inch round spring foam cake tin with coconut oil and butter paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Beat the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a stand mixer for 5-6 mins on high speed until pale and ribbon like consistency.
- Boil the apricots in the water and rose water and coconut oil. Once boiled, spoon out 6 pieces of apricot and blend the rest of the apricots with some of the remaining liquid until a thick paste-like consistency.
- With the remaining liquid, heat it with honey, lime juice and 1 tsp of the cardamom powder until reduced to half. Set aside.
- Sift all the powders, baking powder, cardamom powder and salt into the egg mixture and fold gently using a rubber spatula.
- Add the apricot paste mixture into the batter and fold just until combined. Pour into tin and place the six whole apricot pieces over the top and bake at 160°C for 35-40 mins until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
- Once out of the oven poke holes into the cake and add pour over the rose water syrup and let it sit for 20 mins before cutting. Place the whole apricots around the cake and sprinkle some pumpkin seeds over the top for texture and colour.
- Serve warm with a glass of Chilean Red Grape.
