350g (12oz) caster sugar
7 egg yolks
350g (12oz) butter (preferably unsalted), softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbsp almond praline
Two 20cm (8in) diameter sandwich tins
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Butter and flour the sides of the tins and line each base with parchment paper.
2 To make the praline, place the sugar in a non-stick pan or a medium saucepan with low sides and scatter the nuts over the top. Set over a low heat until the sugar turns a caramel colour. Do not stir, but you may carefully ‘swirl’ the pan to allow the sugar to caramelise evenly.
3 When the caramel has turned a deep whiskey colour, pour the mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and allow to cool. When the praline is cool and hard, place in a food processor and whiz to a gritty powder. Alternatively, place the praline in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
4 To make the cake, cream the butter in a large bowl or electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating well between each addition. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir in gradually. Add 3 tablespoons of the crushed praline and mix lightly, adding the milk to moisten.
5 Divide equally between the two prepared tins and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
6 Meanwhile, make the buttercream icing. In a low-sided medium saucepan, bring the water and sugar to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat up high and let the syrup boil for 4-5 minutes to the ‘thread’ stage, when the last few drops that fall from a metal spoon dipped into the syrup come off in one long, quite thick and syrupy thread.
7 While the syrup is boiling, beat the egg yolks for 1 minute with an electric hand-held beater or an electric food mixer, then very gradually add the hot syrup. Continue beating until all the syrup is added and the mixture has cooled. The consistency should be stiff, mousse-like and able to hold a figure of eight pattern made by the beater.
8 Place the softened butter in another bowl and beat well with a hand-held electric beater until very soft. Continuing to beat, gradually add the mousse, a spoonful at a time. Then stir in the vanilla extract and 6 tablespoons of the crushed praline.
9 To assemble, slice each cake in half horizontally. Spread the inside of each sparingly with butter icing and sandwich together, stacking each layer above the other as evenly as possible. Brush all over the cake to remove any crumbs.
10 Ice the top and sides with the remaining icing. Sprinkle the remaining crushed praline all over, including the sides.
VARIATION
Hazelnut praline: Replace the almonds with 250g (9oz) skinned hazelnuts (see Rachel’s baking tip, below), still using 3 tablespoons of hazelnut praline for the cake and 6 tablespoons of hazelnut praline for the buttercream icing.
RACHEL’S BAKING TIP
*For some reason, it is necessary to skin hazelnuts, though not almonds, for praline. To skin hazelnuts, place them on a baking tray and bake at 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4 for a few minutes until the skins come off when rubbed with a finger. Wrap the hazelnuts in a clean tea towel (not a pale-coloured one, as this tends to stain the cloth) and rub them for a few seconds to remove the skins. Pour them back onto the baking tray, place outside and let the skins just blow away (you can speed up the process by blowing gently on the hazelnuts).
CARROT CAKE
Who doesn’t love this classic cake? It’s perfect just as it iswith a cup of tea or coffee, but you could also try decorating it with candied violets to add a little visual ‘oomph’.
SERVES 12
2 eggs
140ml (5fl oz) vegetable oil
200g (7oz) soft light brown sugar
300g (11oz) grated carrot (weight when grated)
100g (3½oz) raisins
75g (3oz) pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
180g (6½oz) self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp mixed spice
For the orange cream cheese icing
250g (9oz) cream cheese (straight from the fridge)
50g (2oz) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
275g (10oz) icing sugar, sifted
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
13 x 23cm (5 x 9in) loaf tin
1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F), Gas mark 2. Oil and linethe loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
2 Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the oil, brown sugar, grated carrot, raisins and chopped nuts.
3 Sift in the dry ingredients and bring the mixture togetherusing a wooden or large metal spoon.
4 Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smooth thesurface and bake in the oven for 1-1¼ hours or until a skewerinserted into the middle comes out clean.
5 Allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before removing. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
6 To make the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until combined. Add the vanilla extract, icing sugar and finely grated orange zest and mix to combine. The icing should be smooth and quite thick. Using a palette knife, spread the icing evenly over the cooled cake, dipping the knife into a bowl of hot water if the icing is hard to spread out. Cut into slices to serve.
VARIATIONS
Instead of using jam for the filling, why not try lemon curd or melted chocolate. Alternatively, spread the sponge with raspberry or blueberry cream.
RACHEL’S BAKING TIP
*Un-iced, this cake is also delicious sliced and buttered.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
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