Sri Lankan Love Cake

This cake is called a Sri Lankan Love Cake due to the spices taking a while to grind down to a powder therfore being a labour of love to make. Now we can purchase spices in powder form making it much easier.  It is thought to be a derivative of the Western fruit cake brought to Sri Lanka by the Portuguese and Dutch who eventually colonised Sri Lanka. 

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Love Cake Spice Mix

• 1 tsp cinnamon, BUY HERE
• ½ tsp nutmeg, BUY HERE 
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp clove, BUY HERE

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 
• Dried rose petals, for garnishing, BUY HERE
• 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

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan forced) and line a 20cm x 20cm brownie tray. 
2. Add egg yolks and brown sugar to a bowl and electrically mix until fluffy.
3. Put the love cake spices with the semolina and cashews, butter, lime zest and rose water in a mixing bowl. 
4. Briefly and gently mix until all is merged. 
5. Place the egg whites, honey and a good pinch of salt in another bowl. 
6. Whisk until firm peaks. 
7. Fold stiffened whites into the semolina batter. 
8. Pour into the brownie tin, evenly distributing the nuts.
9. Bake for 50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown on top and firm to touch. 
10. Cool in the tin. 
11. Cut into small squares and dusted with rose-scented icing sugar and sprinkled with rose petals and toasted cashews. 
12. Serve
13. For whipped creme fraiche:
1. Whisk all ingredients until soft peaks form.
14. For roasted strawberries:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
2. Put vanilla bean and its seeds, lemon juice, icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of water, then toss the strawberries throughout.
3. Transfer to an ovenproof dish measuring about 30 x 20cm. 
4. Roast for 7 minutes, 
5. Toss once then continue roasting until soft and bubbling. 
6. Allow to cool to room temperature. 
7. Serve roasted berries and their juices with love cake and whipped creme fraiche.

Posted By Herb Wholesalers

Updated : 8th August 2024 | Words : 417 | Views : 1281