Sri Lankan Love Cake
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings makes 1 tray
Ingredients
Love Cake Spice Mix
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp clove
Cake Ingredients
6 egg yolks
200g dark brown sugar
225g semolina
150g cashews, chopped to a course rubble
125g unsalted butter, softened
Zest of 2 limes
60ml rosewater
6 egg whites
75g local honey
Pinch of salt
Rose Scented Icing Sugar
½ cup icing sugar mixed with 1 tsp rose petal powder (from Gewurzhaus)
Dried rose petals, for garnishing
Toasted crushed cashews, for garnishing
Whipped Creme Fraiche
300ml double cream
200ml creme fraiche
1 tsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Roasted Strawberries
500g strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tbsp icing sugar
Vanilla bean, split and scraped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan forced) and line a 20cm x 20cm brownie tray.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the egg yolks and brown sugar until fluffy (about 5 minutes).
While the yolks are creaming, mix the love cake spices with the semolina and cashews. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed yolks, along with the butter, lime zest and rose water. Mix gently and briefly until all is incorporated.
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the honey and a good pinch of salt until firm peaks. Fold stiffened whites into the semolina batter. Pour into the brownie tin, evenly distributing the nuts.
Bake for 50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown on top and firm to touch. If the cake is cooking too fast, cover with foil and put it back in the oven.
Cool in the tin. Serve small squares dusted with rose-scented icing sugar and sprinkled with rose petals and toasted cashews.
For whipped creme fraiche, whisk all ingredients until soft peaks form.
For roasted strawberries, preheat the oven to 200°C. Toss the strawberries with the vanilla bean and its seeds, lemon juice, icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of water. Transfer to an ovenproof dish measuring about 30 x 20cm. Roast for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until soft and bubbling. Allow to cool to room temperature. Serve roasted berries and their juices with love cake and whipped creme fraiche.