aI urgently need a cake. Old-fashioned, studded with dried fruit, or something more flirty, with slices served with a citrus filling and an iced top and sides. A birthday-style cake aimed at birthdays.
An afternoon is rarely complete without a slice of sweet on your plate while you sip your tea. This week it's a simple fruitcake. Not as extravagant as the Christmas cake recipe, this is more cake than fruit, but it has the same deep butterscotch notes from the dark muscovado sugar and a pleasant nostalgic aroma. It's the kind of cake that no one bakes anymore, so I'm happy to see it again.
The layer cake I made at the same time was a dessert that rivaled the cake. Orange curd and mascarpone frosting. Studded with flaky almonds toasted until crisp, it felt like a cake for a special occasion, and its presence made it an even more special treat during the dreary week of change of season in November. . There wasn't much to celebrate other than eating cake, but we did.
Sponge cakes are made in small round tins, so they disappear quickly, but cream cheese and curd fillings won't do much harm if you keep them in the fridge overnight. It's best to let it come to room temperature before eating.
Clear green or fruit teas work wonders when combined with rich recipes like this one. It cuts through the sugar and brings out the citrus aroma. I chose lemon verbena, but Earl Gray with a subtle bergamot scent could have been better.
tea time fruit cake
This cut-and-come-again cake will keep for several days in a cake pan or airtight container. It has less fruit density than Christmas cake, and its texture is similar to traditional teatime fruitcake. I use a mixture of raisins, dried cherries or cranberries, and golden sultanas, but you can also add candied peels or chopped dried apricots if you like. The cake doesn't need any further decoration, but you can sprinkle the top with whole almonds before baking. Available for 12 or more people. Ready in 2 hours
caster sugar 150g
brown sugar 65g
butter 125g
egg 2, large
homemade flour 280g
kefir 100ml
dried fruit 400g assortment
You will need a deep cake mold with a diameter of 20cm.
Line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with lightly buttered baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 4.
Place castors and brown sugar in the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a flat paddle beater. Cut the butter into small pieces, add the sugar and cream until light and coffee-colored, about 5 minutes.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and mix gently with a fork or small whisk until well combined. Add the beaten eggs to the butter and sugar little by little, stirring well between additions. Add flour and kefir in 2-3 stages.
Add the dried fruits, mix, transfer to the lined cake tin, and lightly smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake the cake for about 70 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a metal skewer into the cake. If it comes out with raw mixture still stuck to it, put the cake back in the oven for another 10 minutes, then check again. Leave the cake to cool in the mold, then remove and set aside until cool.
orange and almond layer cake
A slightly special cake perfect for celebrations. I recommend orange curd, but lemon also works perfectly here. I often slice off the crown at the top of each cake so it's easier to spread the mascarpone cream evenly. It also gives you some slices while you are decorating the cake.
Available for 12 or more people. Ready in 2 hours
butter 175g
orange 2, moderate
caster sugar 175g
vanilla essence 1/2 teaspoon
egg 3, plus 1 yolk
homemade flour 180g
almond flour 75g
For matte:
flaked almonds 4 tablespoons
mascarpone 250g
orange (or lemon) curd 320g
crystallized clementine 2 (optional)
You will need two 18cm cake pans.
Line the bottom of the cake pan with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 5.
Cut the butter into small pieces and place in the bowl of a food mixer. Finely grate the orange zest into a bowl, add the sugar and use a flat paddle attachment to cream everything. Add vanilla essence.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl, add the additional egg yolks, and mix gently with a fork until well combined. With the paddle still rotating, add the egg mixture to the butter and sugar in 3-4 steps, mixing well between each. If the mixture shows signs of clumping, add a few spoonfuls of flour.
Add flour and ground almonds in 2-3 stages, mixing well between each addition. Divide the mixture between the two lined cake pans and bake for 30 minutes, until lightly puffed and springy to the touch.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before placing it on a cooling rack.
Toast the flaked almonds in a shallow skillet over low-to-medium meat, watching closely, until golden brown.
Make the buttercream. Place the mascarpone in a mixing bowl and stir gently with a wooden spoon to loosen it, then add the orange curd and stir gently. Be careful not to mix the two too much. Just stir it a few times and it's ready. The traces of the card passing through the mascarpone are visually beautiful.
Sandwich the cake with some of the curd cream and spread the rest over the top and sides of the cake. Scatter the almonds over the top and garnish with a few crystallized clementine or orange slices, if desired.
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