Strawberry and Walnut Cake

This is rather 'retro' as cake recipes go, but is luscious at the beginning of summer when the strawberries are really becoming plentiful.  Other fruit may be used, too.  Raspberries, blueberries or even pieces of fresh peach or nectarine, if they are at their peak.  Poor quality fruit with little flavour will not do at all,  if you want this recipe to have its full impact.

It is very simple.

Ingredients

3 eggs

4 oz  caster sugar

3 oz plain flour

2 oz walnuts (coarsely chopped)

2 tbsp really strong coffee.  (I use 2 tbsp top quality instant coffee mixed with 2 tbsp hot water)

Filling

About 3/4 pint of cream to whip

1 lb strawberries

fruit juice or alcohol to taste

 2 tbsp chopped, toasted walnuts

Method

Prepare a deep 8 inch diameter cake tin.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F or Mark 4. (This is for a non-fan oven.  Lower the temperature  if you are using the fan setting.) 

• With an electric beater, whisk the eggs and sugar until they have a thick,  mousse-like  texture.   (When  the mixture forms ribbons, you will know you are there.  Be aware that it is possible to beat for too long,  thus beating the air out!  Not a good result!)
•  Sift the flour into the mix along with the walnuts and the coffee.
•   Fold in gently with a metal spoon.
•   Pour into the tin and bake for around 30 mins.  Cake will draw away from the side of the pan when   cooked.
• Allow the cake to cool, then split into 3 equal layers.

Softly whip the cream.  Reserve 1/3  of the cream and mix the rest with the sliced strawberries. (reserve some small strawberries for decoration)

 Fill with cream and strawberries, moistening each layer as you go. Be lavish.  In the example, you will see that we need more, more, more cream.  You need it it almost "flow" down the side of the cake. Be careful not to beat it too much, or you will never get the effect you are looking for.

Cover the top with the plain reserved cream.  Decorate with whole strawberries and chopped, toasted walnuts.

Notes

I grease my tin with a little butter, then line it with baking paper.  I then grease again and dust with caster sugar and flour.  If you use non-stick tins you may prefer just to trust that your cake will not stick.. Up to you!  Personally,  I trust nothing and would probably line silicone if I used it! lol

This sponge  will dry out  if you over-cook it. To counteract any dryness,  I sprinkle the cake, after it has been split, with a complementary fruit juice or, if it is for adults,  some  form of alcohol - sherry,  brandy,  or Grand Marnier,  perhaps. Orange and strawberry work well together for example.   Experiment with different combinations of flavours.

If the fruit you use is a little sour, macerate it in confectioners' sugar after slicing. Bonus is a little juice to use for moistening.

 (adapted from Cordon Bleu Part Set, 1975.)

Lemon and Yoghurt Cake

This is one of two lemon cakes that were really popular in our household when the children were growing up. The other was a recipe (one of many) given me by my wonderful mother-in-law, Anita when she used to come out from Leeds in the UK and stay with us in NZ. She is, I am sorry to say, no longer with us, but I am sure she would have liked this one, too.

This is good served with creamy yoghurt or as here, clotted cream.

It is so long since I have baked a cake - around 3 years, I think and unfortunately I miscalculated and slightly over baked this one.  You will see that the oven was too hot so the cake rose too quickly and split.  It is also a little sun-tanned around the sides. Never mind, it tastes good and the syrup that soaks it prevents it from being dry.  I will know next time and I promise to do better!  It is such an easy recipe though that it is well worth a try.


                                                         Lemon and Yoghurt Cake

Ingredients


Cake
1 cup caster sugar
finely grated rind of two lemons
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup rice bran or grapeseed oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups plain unsweetened yoghurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups self raising flour

Syrup
1/2 cup lemon juice, extra
1/2 cup caster sugar, extra
Greek yoghurt to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C and grease a 22cm ring tin.
2. In a large bowl mix the sugar, rind, eggs, oil and salt together with a wooden spoon until well combined.
3. Add the yoghurt and lemon juice and mix, then sieve the flour into the bowl and fold in.
4. Spoon into the tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
5. Stir the lemon juice and caster sugar together.
6. After the cake has cooled for 5 minutes, pour this glaze over the cake. Serve with Greek yoghurt
Notes

• I  use a micro-planer for grating where-ever possible.  It is less messy, you do not grate pith and you do not risk having slices of flesh added to your recipe! 
• When grating rind, add it straight away to your sugar if the recipe allows.  Any oils that seep out will soak into the sugar and you will not lose the precious flavour.
• Always use a metal spoon for folding and you will lose less air from your mixture.