Pamela Black’s St Patrick’s Day Cake
A scary St Patrick’s Day cake but delicious and fun and just happens to be green, white and gold.
SERVES
8
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
30
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
30
MINUTES
Ingredients
175g butter
175g caster sugar
¼ tsp green food gel colouring
1 tsp of vanilla extract
3 eggs, preferably free range
175g self-raising flour
3 tbsp kumquat compote (see recipe)
300ml cream, stiffly whipped
icing sugar
fresh marigolds to decorate
2 x 18cm cake tins
To make kumquat compote
235g kumquats
200ml water
110g sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Grease the tins with a little melted butter and put a round of greaseproof paper on the bottom of the tins.
Cream the butter, add sugar, green colouring and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, each time with a tablespoon of flour. Beat very well and then fold in the remaining flour gently.
Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cakes are well risen, golden and feel spongy to the fingertips.
Allow the cakes to cool for a few minutes in the tins and then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
Next make the kumquat compote.
Slice the kumquats into four or five rounds depending on size, remove the seeds. Put the kumquats into a saucepan with the water and sugar and let them cook very gently, covered, for half an hour or until tender.
Note: This compote keeps for weeks in the fridge.
To assemble the cake: Spread the compote over the bottom of each sponge.
Fill a piping bag, fitted with a plain éclair nozzle, with the whipped cream. Pipe the cream evenly over one base, starting at the outside edge of the sponge, working inwards.
Place the remaining sponge on top and dust with icing sugar.
Garnish with marigold flowers.
