CHERRY AND CARDAMOM CAKE WITH HONEY CREAM CHEESE ICING
CHERRY AND CARDAMOM CAKE WITH HONEY CREAM CHEESE ICING
Recipe
When I was in India several years ago I saw cardamom growing and that provided inspiration for this recipe. Also, New Zealand is becoming well known for its fresh cherries, and this cake pays homage to that queen of summer stone fruits.
SERVES 12
FOR THE CAKE
200g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
4 organic eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g plain flour
150g ground almonds
2 tsp ground cardamom
24 cherries, halved and pitted (you could also use 40 morello cherries from a jar)
FOR THE ICING
250g cream cheese
vanilla extract
4 tbs honey
TO DECORATE
15 fresh cherries with stalks intact
FOR THE CAKE
200g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
4 organic eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g plain flour
150g ground almonds
2 tsp ground cardamom
24 cherries, halved and pitted (you could also use 40 morello cherries from a jar)
FOR THE ICING
250g cream cheese
vanilla extract
4 tbs honey
TO DECORATE
15 fresh cherries with stalks intact
- Preheat the oven to 180C fan bake. Grease and line a 22cm cake tin.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Gradually fold in flour, ground almonds and cardamom.
- Pour batter into cake tin and dot with cherry halves. Bake for about 40 minutes. The cake is ready when it is golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow cake to cool for around 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack.
- Meanwhile, make icing. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and continue to add the other ingredients.
- Once cake is cool, apply a generous layer of icing and decorate with fresh cherries. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.1.