GLUTEN-FREE VALENTINE’S DAY CAKE
Chocolate, roses, nuttiness, spice and of course sweetness make this cake perfect for Valentine’s Day or any other day you’re looking to win a few hearts with a delicious and easy cake.
Rosie
VALENTINE’S DAY CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE AND LEMON FROSTING
Serves 8-10
160 gm softened unsalted butter, cubed
250 gm raw sugar
4 eggs
150 gm blanched whole almonds
75 gm walnut halves
75 gm shelled unsalted pistachios
½ teaspoon cardamom seeds, crushed or ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
150 gm almond meal
½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
80 gm plain yoghurt
Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease and line with baking paper a heart shaped cake tin (the recipe is also suitable for a 22cm round cake tin).
Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 5 minutes until pale. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Process the whole almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. You will have some fine nut meal as well as small pieces of almond.
Repeat with the walnuts and then the pistachios.
Combine the processed nuts, crushed cardamom seeds and lemon zest and fold into the creamed mixture.
Combine almond meal, baking powder and salt together and fold into the mix followed by the yoghurt.
Pour into prepared cake tin and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Check after 1 hour.
Stand on a cooling rack for 20 minutes then turn out and allow to cool completely before icing with White Chocolate and Lemon Frosting.
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND LEMON FROSTING
115 gm unsalted butter, softened
170 gm cream cheese, softened
100 gm white couverture chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon lemon juice, strained, or to taste
Fresh or dried rose petals to decorate
Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the cooled white chocolate and the lemon juice and beat until combined.
If the frosting becomes too soft to work with, place it in the fridge until it firms up a little.
Spread over the top and sides of the cake and decorate with rose petals.