RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH SUMAC SPRINKLE
RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH SUMAC SPRINKLE
Recipe
Sumac is one of my favourite spices (actually it's a dried and powdered fruit) and is as lovely in desserts as it is in savoury cooking. It has a vibrant mulled wine red colour and a subtle tart, lemony flavour which works wonderfully with raspberries. Here is a recipe for a classic cake which is taken to another level with a little pop of citrusy sumac.
SERVES 12
FOR THE CAKE
150g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 free range eggs
150g regular flour
50g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch sea salt
½ cup whole milk
100g white chocolate buttons
150g fresh or frozen raspberries
FOR BETWEEN THE LAYERS
4 tbsp good-quality raspberry jam
1 tsp sumac
FOR THE TOPPING
200g mascarpone
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp good-quality raspberry jam
FOR THE DECORATIONS
1 tsp sumac
Handful fresh or freeze-dried raspberries
Fresh flowers or dried edible flower petals (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 170C fan bake. Line 2 x 22cm tins with baking paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time.
- In 2 parts, mix in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. Finally add the milk. Stop your electric mixer once all of the ingredients are combined. Be careful not to over mix.
- By hand, stir through the white chocolate.
- Evenly divide the batter between the 2 tins and dot in the raspberries, pressing them down lightly.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together the mascarpone, vanilla and jam.
- Once the cakes are completely cool, spread a layer of jam onto one of the layers and evenly sprinkle over 2 tsp of sumac. Place the second layer directly on top. Spread a neat layer of the mascarpone mixture onto the top of the cake and decorate with a sprinkling of sumac, fresh or freeze-dried raspberries and flowers if using.
- Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.