This cake simply sings ‘Spring!’
We picture this baby being served up at a picnic unfolding amongst the wildflowers, a whimsy outdoor baby shower or sitting upon an abundant table for morning tea.
Try the recipe below and enjoy!
What you’ll need
For the cake:
225g butter, softened and chopped | 1 cup caster sugar | 3 eggs | 1½ cups self-raising flour, sifted | Zest and juice of 2 limes | ½ cup natural yoghurt | ¼ cup vegetable oil
For the strawberry sauce:
200g strawberries, washed, stems removed and roughly chopped | ⅓ cup caster sugar | ½ tsp vanilla
For the syrup:
1 cup pure icing sugar, sifted | ½ cup elderflower syrup | 200g natural yoghurt, to serve
What to do
1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Grease a 22cm fluted ring cake pan.
3. In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Fold in sifted flour, yoghurt, lime rind and juice.
6. Pour into cake pan and place into oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cover with foil when cooking if browning too quickly.
7. Once cooked, stand for 10 minutes before turning out.
8. Meanwhile, make the strawberry sauce. Combine the strawberries, sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan. Cook over a medium high heat, stirring regularly.
9. As it cooks, gently squash some of the strawberries with a wooden spoon to help thicken the sauce. Continue to cook until sauce thickens (about 10 minutes).
10. Remove from heat, and purée about a third of the sauce then mix back into the remaining sauce.
11. Next, make the syrup by whisking the icing sugar and elderflower syrup together until sugar is dissolved.
12. While cake is still warm, brush generously with syrup until it has all been absorbed.
And then…
Serve with yoghurt and strawberry sauce. Impress your friends by dressing the cake with fresh elderflowers, which you can find at growers’ markets and good greengrocers.
Credits
Photography: Hannah Blackmore | Styling: Olivia Blackmore | Recipes: Sarah Jane Hallett
