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Pistachio and Lemon Layer Cake inspired by Beatrix, North Melbourne

Pistachio and Lemon Layer Cake inspired by Beatrix, North Melbourne

Beatrix Inspired Pistachio + Lemon Layer Cake

Kath October 12, 2019

Attempting to make this cake has been on my mind since I visited Beatrix, a bakery in North Melbourne in late August. When I put the call out on social media for any tips on where to eat in Melbourne, this bakery was mentioned again and again. And for good reason! 

The cakes not only look amazing, but they taste great too. The shop itself is small and cute, with a wall of old egg beaters hanging behind the retro style wooden cake cabinet. Small white paper doilies are used to label each cake on the outside of the counter, and there seemed to be a steady steam of people coming visit even on a weekday. 

As soon as I saw the Pistachio and Lemon cake in the counter I knew that was the cake for me. I ordered it with a pot of peppermint tea, and my friend Sally ordered Apple Pie Cake with a coffee. Both cakes were delicious, and we sat and chatted for a while in the lovely calm cake-filled space. 

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As I walked to my next stop of the day, I had already began thinking about recreating the Pistachio and Lemon Cake once I got home. Once I was home, I started researching through lots of my cookbooks and finally found recipes I could begin to recreate the Beatrix cake with. 

Even though I posted a recipe for Yuzu Curd not that long ago, and I could have easily made that recipe again but with lemon, I have had my eye on an easy lemon curd recipe I saw on Instagram from Jordan of Thistle + Whey. Jordan posted this recipe back in July as part of her Slow Saturday series. It immediately got my attention, and I screen shotted the recipe and the tips she posted on Stories too. 

Since this cake has a few steps to make it, I decided an easy option for the lemon curd would be most welcome! And not only is this recipe for lemon curd super easy, it produces the thickest tangiest lemon curd I have ever made! I am always hoping the lemon curds I make will be thicker than they end up, and the only time I achieved this before was when I used a recipe that contained gelatine. 

The taste and consistency of this lemon curd was just perfect for this layer cake, as it held its shape and didn’t drip everywhere, and the super tangy lemon flavour goes really well with the buttery sweet icing. So it’s win win all around, and Jordan’s Super Easy Lemon Curd is now my go to recipe! Thanks Jordan!

And a note on the meringue buttercream - if you like me, aren’t a big fan of the stock standard buttercream icing, this one is not like that! When I ate the Pistachio and Lemon Cake at Beatrix, I knew they had used a type of meringue buttercream as, not only did I actually enjoy eating it, but it had that slightly more white colour that comes from the meringue element. This recipe replicates theirs pretty well, and it is lighter and less buttery and dense than its regular buttercream counterpart, and well worth the effort in making it.

Beatrix Inspired Pistachio and Lemon Cake
Jordan’s Super Easy Lemon Curd

Jordan’s Super Easy Lemon Curd

Jordan’s Super Easy Lemon Curd 

Ingredients: 

2-3 lemons (medium to large sized, I used 4 very small lemons) 

160g caster sugar 

110g unsalted butter

5 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue buttercream icing below)

Method: 

Slice the lemons into quarters, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Process the lemons until they have become pulpy and almost smooth. 

Cut the butter into cubes, add to the food processor along with the caster sugar and egg yolks. Process until everything is well combined and as smooth as possible. 

Transfer this lemon mixture into a medium saucepan, and stir over a low heat. The curd will look curdled at first but it will thin out as the butter melts, then thicken up again as the eggs cook. Once the curd has thickened and coats the back of your spoon or spatula it is done (this should take around 5 minutes). 

Pour through a sieve and discard any bits the sieve catches. Transfer to a large glass jar and allow too cool to room temperature before storing in the fridge. 

Makes about 400g, and will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. 

Pistachio and Lemon Cake

Pistachio and Lemon Cake

Beatrix Inspired Pistachio and Lemon Cake

Ingredients for the Cake: 

200g unsalted butter, softened

200g caster sugar

30g pistachio paste (see here for homemade version)

4 eggs

100g raw shelled pistachios

200g self raising flour

Ingredients for the Meringue Buttercream Icing + Assembly: 

270g caster sugar

67ml water

135g egg whites (3-4 egg whites approx. (but do measure specifically), use leftovers from making the lemon curd)

330g unsalted butter, softened 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

130g (approx.) Jordan’s Super Easy Lemon Curd

50g blanched pistachios 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and grease and line two 20cm round baking tins. 

Place the pistachios on a small tray and lightly toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove, and allow to cool a little, then blitz into fine crumbs (similar to the consistency of almond meal) using a food processor. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the butter, sugar and pistachio paste. Beat on medium speed until well combined and fluffy. 

Gently whisk the eggs in a jug, and add to the butter mixture with the mixer running on a low/medium speed. Add the ground pistachios and continue to beat on medium speed until combined. 

Measure out the self raising flour into a separate bowl and briefly whisk to remove any lumps. Add the flour to the batter, and mix on the lowest speed. Finnish mixing by hand to avoid over working the batter. 

Evenly transfer the cake batter between the two prepared tins, and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden in colour. 

Leave the cakes too cool in their tins for a few minutes, then remove from the tins and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 

To make the icing, place the water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat and allow to come to a rapid boil. Using a candy thermometer keep an eye on the temperature of the sugar syrup - it will be ready once it reaches 121 degrees Celsius. 

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer, and gently whisk until foamy (start this once the sugar syrup is at around 100 degrees Celsius). 

Once the sugar syrup has reached 121 degrees Celsius, remove from the heat, and with the mixer running on low pour it over the whisked egg whites (avoiding the whisk itself as much as possible). 

Increase the speed of the mixer to medium, and continue to whisk until the meringue has cooled right down - this will take at least 5-10 minutes. 

Cut the butter into cubes, and add a cube or two at a time with the mixer still running. Allow each cube to incorporate into the mixture before adding more. Continue to beat until the meringue buttercream is completely smooth. Briefly beat in the vanilla extract. 

Place one of the cooled cakes on to a plate or cake stand (or a cake turntable if you have one) top side up. Spread a thin layer of the buttercream over the cake, then using a piping bag pipe a rim of icing around the edge - this will contain the lemon curd and create a more even surface for the second cake layer to sit on. Pipe a second rim inside the first if you think the cake needs more height around the edges to make it even.  

Spoon the lemon curd into the centre of the cake, pushing to the edge of the buttercream rim you have piped. Pipe over some more of the buttercream over the top of the lemon curd and gently smooth it out with a spatula. 

Trim the top of the second cake if necessary (so it will sit as flat as possible), and place top side down, over the curd and buttercream layer. 

Cover the top of the cake with more meringue buttercream, then spread down the sides and around the entirety of the cake. Try to make the buttercream as smooth and even as possible, using a spatula or palette knife. It doesn’t need to be perfect, as you will now cover the icing with some pistachios. 

Briefly blitz the blanched pistachios in a food processor so you get large crumbs (alternately you could chop them up with a knife). Cover the entire cake in the pistachio crumbs, sprinkling them over the top and pressing them into the sides of the cake. 

Place the cake into the fridge for about 30-60 minutes, to allow the icing the firm up - this will allow you to get some nice clean slices when you cut the cake. Any excess meringue buttercream icing can be stored for one week in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Store cake in the fridge, will keep for about 5 days. 

Serves 8-10.

Pistachio and Lemon Layer Cake

References: Thistle + Whey Lemon Curd (posted 21/07/2019); ‘Love Layer Cakes’ by Peggy Porschen (Quadrille Publishing, 2015), pp.10 & 26-28.

Pistachio and Lemon Cake Inspired by Beatrix Melbourne
Beatrix Pistachio and Lemon Cake
In Cakes & Slices, Jams Preserves & Spreads Tags Beatrix, Pistachio Paste, Pistachio Cake, Lemon Curd, Melbourne, cake
6 Comments
Lumberjack Cake (aka Queen Elizabeth Cake)

Lumberjack Cake (aka Queen Elizabeth Cake)

Lumberjack Cake

Kath July 11, 2019

To celebrate the imminent arrival of my new eBook, Cosy Winter Bakes, I am sharing one of my favourite Winter cake recipes here on the blog. This new eBook is filled with recipes just like this one - cosy, using seasonal ingredients, and best enjoyed with a warming cup of tea! To be the first to know when this eBook is released, click here to sign up to my mailing list.

The Lumberjack Cake is a cake made up of apples and dates, with a crunchy maple coconut topping. I first heard of this cake a fair few years ago when I worked at a cafe. One of my colleagues baked for the cafe and a Lumberjack Cake was one of the things she often made. I seem to remember her saying it was something she picked up while she was in Canada, and that it was a Canadian recipe (also known as Queen Elizabeth Cake). It was the perfect cake for a cold Winters day, and I soon found myself a recipe and began creating it at home too. 

One of the tips my colleague gave me at the time for this cake was to use golden syrup and maple extract in the topping, rather than maple syrup as is more customary. Not only is golden syrup less expensive than maple syrup, but from previous experience I found that pure maple syrup doesn’t work well in this cake as it is too runny. You really need the thickness of a golden syrup, or one of those maple flavoured syrups, to keep the coconut topping from sliding right off the cake! 

Pure maple extract can be found at gourmet food stores, or online.

Lumberjack Cake
Lumberjack Cake

Lumberjack Cake (aka Queen Elizabeth Cake)

Ingredients: 

230g apple (about 2 small/medium apples, I use Pink Lady variety), cored and roughly chopped

185g pitted medjool dates, roughly chopped

250ml boiling water

1 tsp bicarb soda

260g plain flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

145g Panela sugar

125ml canola oil 

1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for the Topping: 

70g unsalted butter, roughly chopped

60ml pouring cream

50g Panela sugar 

120g golden syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp pure maple extract

100g shredded coconut 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line a 22cm round springform or loose bottomed cake tin. 

In a medium bowl, place the apples and dates, sprinkle over the bicarb soda and cover with the boiling water. Set aside for about 10 minutes, this will allow the fruit to soften up a bit. 

In another medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour and baking powder as set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, panela sugar, oil and vanilla extract until well combined. 

Add the soaking apples and dates (including the water) to the oil mix, and stir to combine. Finally add the flour mix and stir until just combined. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 

While the cake is baking make the topping by, placing all the topping ingredients except the coconut into a small saucepan. Place over low/medium heat and stir, allowing the butter to melt and the sugar to dissolve. Allow to mixture to bubble and thicken a little, then turn off the heat and stir in the coconut. Set aside until needed. 

Once the cake has finished baking, remove from the oven and spoon the coconut mixture evenly over the top of the cake. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until the coconut topping has turned golden brown. 

Allow the cake to cool in its tin for a few minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Lumberjack Cake

Reference: Not Quite Nigella. 

Lumberjack Cake
In Cakes & Slices Tags Lumberjack Cake, Queen Elizabeth Cake, Winter Baking
2 Comments
Ginger Date & Rose Cupcake - recipe from my eBook ‘Baking with Rose’

Ginger Date & Rose Cupcake - recipe from my eBook ‘Baking with Rose’

Ginger Date & Rose Cupcakes + Baking with Rose eBook is Here!

Kath May 1, 2019

My new eBook, ‘Baking with Rose’ is here! And to celebrate I am sharing one of my favourite recipes from the book, these Ginger Date and Rose Cupcakes.

It wasn’t until recently I discovered rose and ginger go really well together. While I like both flavours a lot, I had never thought to put them together. That changed when I saw this recipe for Gingersnaps with Rose icing. I made them, and loved them! I then began to think of all the other ways I could use ginger and rose together and these cupcakes are one of the ideas I came up with.

I love the flavour combination of these cupcakes, and the rose is fairly subtle as it’s only in the icing. The date molasses and panela sugar add a gentle sweet flavour, however regular molasses or brown sugar would be good substitutes if you don’t have date molasses or panela.

For more rose recipes like this, check out my new eBook ‘Baking with Rose’!

View fullsize Ginger Date and Rose Cupcakes
View fullsize Baking with Rose eBook
purchase ebook!
Fresh Edible Rose Petals

Fresh Edible Rose Petals

Ginger Date and Rose Cupcakes

Ingredients: 

250g softened unsalted butter

200g panela sugar 

2 eggs

310g date molasses

230ml water

410g plain flour 

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground all spice 

1/2 tsp ground cardamom 

2cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated

Ingredients for Icing: 

170g icing sugar

1.5-2tbsp rosewater

fresh edible rose petals to decorate, optional

Method: 

Line two 12 capacity cupcake trays with cupcake cases and pre heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. 

In a large bowl, cream butter and panela sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Then beat in the water and date molasses. 

Sift flour, baking powder, bicarb and the spices and add to the mixture. Add the fresh ginger. Beat on a low speed until the flour begins to combine, then beat on a medium speed for 2 minutes or until mixed well. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake tins and bake for 20-30 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and are springy to the touch. Remove from the oven, and remove cakes from the tins and allow to cool on a cooling rack. 

To make the icing, mix together the icing sugar and 1 tbsp of the rosewater in a medium bowl, to form a paste. If the icing is too thick gradually add a little more rosewater. Spread icing over each cake, allow to dry a little before decorating with the rose petals. 

Makes 24.

Ginger Date and Rose Cupcakes
Fresh Edible Rose Petals

Fresh Edible Rose Petals

Recipe is an extract from ‘Baking with Rose - Recipes Showcasing the Best of Rose in Baking and Confectionary’ by Kath Vincent (kulinaryadventuresofkath.com, 2019), p.7.

purchase ebook!
In Cakes & Slices Tags Rose, Dates, Ginger, Cupcakes, E-Book
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White Chocolate Easter Torte (Passover Friendly)

White Chocolate Easter Torte (Passover Friendly)

White Chocolate Easter Torte (Passover Friendly)

Kath April 14, 2019

Since Easter and Passover again fall at the same time this year, I thought I would make a dessert that observed both holidays. My immediate thought was a variation of a Lithuanian Nut Torte I had made a couple of years ago. The recipe uses nuts, grated chocolate and whipped egg whites to make a light cake. 

The time I first made this cake, I made it with dark or milk chocolate, however always thought I should try a white chocolate version of it. Now two years later I am finally doing it! 

The idea to make this cake again reappeared in my mind late one night when I was trying to fall asleep. That day a friend and I had visited Bakedown Cakery in St Leonards, as I was really keen to get some of the new Easter range. We both bought some chocolate, and as we walked home got caught in the worst downpour! We were absolutely saturated once we got back, but our Bakedown goodies had been well protected and survived the journey. 

I had bought some of the Golden Almond Eggs (caramelised white chocolate filled with almond praline - as delicious as it sounds), and some of the Hot Cross Bunnies chocolate bark (white and caramelised white chocolate with Easter spices with cute bunny illustrations printed on top). These chocolates, particularly the bark got me thinking about how it could be used to decorate a cake. 

The Nut Torte I had made so long before popped into my head as the perfect Easter dessert, which could also double as dessert for Passover. I decided I needed to visit Bakedown again to get more of the Hot Cross Bunnies bark, and a couple of blocks of Toasty (Bakedown’s caramelised white chocolate) to use for the torte. Jen at Bakedown also had Toasty Easter Bunnies ready when I went in the second time, and my gosh I was excited! Caramelised white chocolate is one of the best things I have ever tasted, and as someone who can’t eat ‘normal’ chocolate it was so nice to have an Easter treat I could actually enjoy! 

For this Easter Torte, I used Bakedown’s Toasty to grate into the torte, and the Hot Cross Bunnies bark to decorate the outside. I also used a combination of Toasty and regular white chocolate to melt down and decorate the top and use to stick the bark to the sides of the torte. You can of course use any type of chocolate you wish to make this torte, and decorate with your favourite Easter eggs, or just leave the decoration at the chocolate drizzle if you are making this cake for Passover (some toasted nuts scattered over the top would also be lovely). 

White Chocolate Bark from Bakedown Cakery, illustrations by Dawn Tan.

White Chocolate Bark from Bakedown Cakery, illustrations by Dawn Tan.

Hot Cross Bunnies white and caramelised white chocolate by Bakedown Cakery

Hot Cross Bunnies white and caramelised white chocolate by Bakedown Cakery

Caramelised White Chocolate Torte

White Chocolate Easter Torte (Passover Friendly)

Ingredients: 

100g macadamias or almonds, ground

3 tbsp fine matzo meal (or fine dry breadcrumbs if not making for Passover)

100g good quality white chocolate (the kind you would buy to eat) 

3 eggs (large), separated

125g golden caster sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice 

To Decorate: 

50-100g white chocolate 

Easter eggs/chocolate to decorate or some extra toasted nuts (macadamias or almonds) 

Method: 

Pre heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a round 20cm loose bottomed or springform tin with baking paper. 

Grate the chocolate into a medium bowl, then add the ground nuts and matzo meal. Mix to combine then set aside. 

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gradually add the sugar. Continue to whisk until the sugar has just incorporated. Briefly whisk in the egg yolks, then fold in the chocolate nut mixture. 

Tip into the prepared tin, and gently smooth the top. 

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the torte is golden in colour and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The torte will rise up then sink down a bit as it cooks. 

Leave to cool on a wire rack, removing from the tin once cooled. 

To decorate, melt the chocolate either in the microwave or over a double boiler. If sticking chocolate bark or similar around the edges of your torte use 100g of chocolate, drizzle some over the top, then spread the remaining chocolate around the sides of the cake then sick on the bark. If not, use 50g chocolate to drizzle over the top. Decorate with Easter eggs or toasted nuts. 

Easter Eggs
White Chocolate Passover Torte

Reference: ‘100 Best Jewish Recipes’ by Evelyn Rose with Judi Rose (Pavilion, 2016), p.149. 

Caramelised White Chocolate Torte
Easter Eggs
In Cakes & Slices, Holidays Tags White Chocolate, Caramelised White Chocolate, Bakedown Cakery, Passover, Easter
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Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake

Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake

Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake

Kath November 23, 2018

I first tried a slice of this cake when a former colleague brought some into to work around Christmas last year. Her Mum, a keen baker and CWA member had made it.The cake was cut thinly, so the glacé fruit and the nuts were really obvious and it was clear why the cake was called a Stained Glass Window Cake! I was hesitant at first to try some as I never like Christmas style fruit cakes, but this one has definitely become an exception. 

I asked my friend what the cake was called and she text her Mum to check. Her Mum came back saying it was called a Stained Glass Window Cake (sometimes known as an American Fruit Cake or Bishops Cake). My colleague also told me how in the past her Mum would make the trip to David Jones Food Hall in the city to get all the glacé fruit. I quickly wrote all that down on a post it note and took it home so I would remember all the details. 

Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake

Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake

Lighter in colour and flavour than a regular Christmas fruit cake, this style of cake is heavy on glacé fruit rather than alcohol soaked dried fruit, which gives the cake a distinctly different flavour and look.

Since the flavour of the alcohols used in fruit cakes is what I really don’t like, I was pleased when I tasted the cake that alcohol wasn’t evident at all. Since having looked at recipes for this type of cake, most call for about 1tbsp of some kind of alcohol (significantly less than a traditional fruit cake!), and some recipes suggested orange juice could be used as a substitute. 

Another reason I love this cake is because I have been a fan of glacé fruit for a long time, having grown up eating glacé cherries a lot as a child. My Grandma used them to decorate her Christmas shortbread, and I would always sneak a couple from the open packet in the fridge (much to Grandma’s dismay I think!). 

Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake

Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake

I set about finding my glacé fruit for this cake the same as my colleague’s Mum used to. I went to the David Jones Food Hall after work and searched for some. I finally found a very small selection in the deli area where the cheeses etc are sold. There were red glacé cherries and pineapple sold by weight and a packet of mixed glacé fruit. I got the mixed packet, and a few extra slices of pineapple. I have a feeling the selection may have been a bit better in the past when my colleague’s Mum used to go!

I then bought some more at The Source Bulk Foods, who have a good selection of glacé fruits, however not a large quantity of each (not great if you are making something big, but good for this recipe as you only need a few bits of each fruit). I also went to Harris Farm Markets who have a great selection of glacé fruits this time of year. 

What kind of Christmas fruit cake do you prefer? Or are you a fan of them at all? Let me know in the comments! 

View fullsize Almonds and Glacé Fruit
View fullsize Brazil Nuts & Macadamias
Stained Glass Window Christmas Cake (12 of 15).jpg

Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake

Ingredients: 

115g glacé pineapple, roughly chopped

125g glacé apricot and/or peach, roughly chopped

250g glacé pear and/or fig, roughly chopped

110g whole red and green glacé cherries

110g roughly chopped pitted dates and/or dried quince (I used dried quince from Singing Magpie Produce)

75g macadamias

85g whole blanched almonds

85g brazil nuts

110g dark brown sugar 

2 eggs

zest of one lemon

1tbsp fresh lemon juice

100g butter, melted and cooled

1tsp cinnamon

50g plain flour 

35g self-raising flour 


Ingredients for the Topping: 

75g mixed glacé fruit, roughly chopped (I used pineapple, peach & pear)

55g whole red glacé cherries

55g whole green glacé cherries

40g brazil nuts

35g macadamias 


Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees Celsius/130 degrees Celsius fan-forced. Grease and line a 20cm round ring pan allowing the baking paper to extend a few centimetres above the tin (preferably one with a flat base, not a bundt tin).

Mix together the glacé fruit and the nuts in a large bowl. 

In a small bowl whisk together the flours and the cinnamon. 

Then in a small/medium bowl, beat the eggs and the sugar with electric beaters (or in a stand mixer) until well combined. Add the lemon juice, melted butter and flour mixture and beat until just combined. 

Gently stir the egg mixture into the fruit and nuts. Spoon into the prepared pan, pressing the mixture into the tin. Press down so the top is level. Then press in all the topping ingredients into the top of the cake, ensuring they aren’t sitting loose. 

Loosely cover the cake with foil, and bake for 1 hour. 

After the hour, remove the foil, and bake for a further 45 minutes. If using a fan forced oven and the cake is not cooked through after 45 minutes, turn the temperature up to 150 degrees Celsius and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes. 

Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and allow to sit in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully removing from the tin and allowing to cool on a wire rack. Keep in mind the top side of the cake when it is in the tin, will remain the top side of the cake once removed from the tin. 

The cake slices best when completely cooled (even better when it comes straight from the fridge). Store in the fridge (wrapped in plastic wrap inside an airtight container) if conditions are humid. 

Stained Glass Window Christmas Cake

Reference: ‘Christmas Food & Craft’ The Australia Women’s Weekly (ACP Books, 2006), p. 95. 

Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake
Stained Glass Window Christmas Fruit Cake
In Cakes & Slices, Holidays Tags Christmas, Christmas Fruit Cake, Stained Glass Window Cake, Bishops Cake, American Fruit Cake, glacé fruit
8 Comments
Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake

Kath November 23, 2018

Pistachio, raspberry and rose are three flavours that are made for each other in my opinion. They go so well together and the colours of each look so pretty and appealing too.

I used fresh raspberries for this cake, however if you are using frozen, only take them out of the freezer just before you want to use them so they don’t bleed into the cake batter too much. 

You can buy freeze dried raspberries from a few places now - I have bought them online from Fresh As (a New Zealand company), and Bakedown Cakery often sells them in their St Leonards store as well. I have also bought them from About Life in the past too. Alternatively, freeze dried strawberries are a little easier to come by, so they would be a good alternative to use. Otherwise dried edible rose petals would be a good option for the decoration. 

Also - how gorgeous are the white peonies in these photos?! Every year when peonies are in season I can’t help but buy some. I think they are some of the most beautiful flowers, and I have found if you buy them before the flower has opened you can get a good week or more out of them. Which is great, as they aren’t exactly the cheapest of flowers to buy! But their beauty is certainly worth it, particularly if like me, you don’t buy flowers all that often.

Happy Baking! xoxo

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake
Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake

Ingredients: 

175g margarine or softened unsalted butter

175g light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp rosewater

125g + 1 tbsp pistachios

175g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

250g fresh raspberries


Ingredients for the Icing:

200g icing sugar, confectioners

1.5-2 tbsp rosewater

1 tsp freeze dried raspberries, lightly crushed


Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and grease and line a 22-23cm springform cake tin.

Using a food processor, grind the all pistachios into a fine crumb/meal (the same consistency as almond meal). Don’t over process or you may end up with pistachio nut butter, rather than pistachio meal. Remove 1 tbsp of the ground pistachios and set aside. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the margarine and sugar. Beat using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs separately, beating well after each. Add the rosewater and the ground pistachios and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder, then gently fold into the main cake batter. 

Transfer the cake batter into the tin and smooth the top. Push each raspberry into the top of the cake so that cake is evenly covered with raspberries. Smooth the top if possible. 

Bake for about 50 minutes or until the cake is springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake. 

Leave the cake to cool before removing from the tin. 

Once the cake has cooled make the icing by whisking the icing sugar and 1 tbsp of the rosewater together. Gradually add more rosewater if the mixture is to dry, and more icing sugar if the icing is too runny. Ice the cake with the icing, then sprinkle over the 1 tbsp of crushed pistachios and the freeze dried raspberries to decorate. 

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake

Reference: The Violet Bakery Cookbook’ by Claire Ptak (Ten Speed Press, 2015), p.137.

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake
Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake with White Peonies

Pistachio Raspberry & Rose Cake with White Peonies

For more recipes showcasing the best of rose, check out my eBook Baking with Rose by clicking the link below!

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In Cakes & Slices Tags Pistachio, Raspberry, Rose, Rose Cake, Rosewater, Freeze Dried Raspberries, White Peonies
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