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
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
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan forced) and line a 20cm x 20cm brownie tray.
- Add egg yolks and brown sugar to a bowl and electrically mix until fluffy.
- Put the love cake spices with the semolina and cashews, butter, lime zest and rose water in a mixing bowl.
- Briefly and gently mix until all is merged.
- Place the egg whites, honey and a good pinch of salt in another bowl.
- Whisk 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.
- Cool in the tin.
- Cut into small squares and dusted with rose-scented icing sugar and sprinkled with rose petals and toasted cashews.
- Serve
- For whipped creme fraiche:
- Whisk all ingredients until soft peaks form.
- For roasted strawberries:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C
- Put vanilla bean and its seeds, lemon juice, icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of water, then toss the strawberries throughout.
- Transfer to an ovenproof dish measuring about 30 x 20cm.
- Roast for 7 minutes,
- Toss once then continue roasting until soft and bubbling.
- Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Serve roasted berries and their juices with love cake and whipped creme fraiche.
Posted By Herb Wholesalers
Updated : 8th August 2024 | Words : 417 | Views : 1255