Hey Hey! I just literally finished doing all my dishes for a cake order I have tomorrow. It is probably my favorite cake so far because I know there is so much technical difficulty to achieve it! But lets get onto this beautiful cake!
I was inspired for this cake from my Mum's homemade Louise Cake. That's the raspberry slice with the meringue coconut topping. I remember making batches of Lou Lou Cake (I used to call it) to take to my shared lunches. I always loved baking with my Mum. She was such a calm collected baker. I would like to say I was the same...
The topping is toasted coconut chips and homemade raspberry jam. A subtle topping then usual, but this cake was not about the looks but the crazy flavours.
The cake itself is gluten free coconut sponges soaked in cranberry syrup, sprinkled each sponge top with coconut to contrast textures. 2 layers of cranberry compote. The icing is my favorite 'Swiss Meringue Butter cream' with raspberry compote folded through. Garnished with chocolate shards and finished off with a pretty bow.
This cake was a huge hit. Many of the girls didn't even realize it was gluten free. It was one of the favorite cakes they had eaten because it was so light and not too sweet. Balanced flavors!
This was a cake I made for my Fashion Design Class, they have been the wildest bunch of chickas, that I am gonna miss forever. All these girls are so talented and am blown away what they can create. I wish them all a happy and bright future. xxx
This is my Fashion Design Teacher, also known as AJ. She has been such a steady rock for me 2015. She always managed to get me smiling no matter what was happening back home. She is the most inspiring teacher I have meet, she loves what she does and loves making other people passionate about her subject. She has been so supportive of my career in the hospitality area and has helped me with numerous task. She's truly amazing and any kid that has her as a teacher is very lucky. Dio is so lucky to have you AJ! Much love xx
Here's the recipe!
Ingredients:
Makes 4 15cm Sponge Cakes
1 3/4 cup ground almond
2 Tablespoons Coconut flour
10 large eggs
1 Tablespoon of Coconut Liqueur
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup thread coconut (toasted)
Method:
-Preheat Oven to 180 degrees.
-Beat egg yolks on high speed to light and fluffy, or pale in colour. Reduce speed and add in coconut liqueur and all the powdered sugar (reserve 1 Tablespoon for the egg whites)
-Increase speed to high until it is nice and thick.
-Gradually fold in your ground almonds and coconut flour.
-Set aside.
-Beat egg whites until foamy and add your cream of tartar, salt and your remaining 1 Tablespoon of powdered sugar.
-Increase speed until you have stiff peaks
-Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, trying hard not to deflate the air.
-Pour the batter evenly between 4 sponge tins. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top of the sponge cakes. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes depending on the intensity of your oven!
Cranberry Compote:
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
Method:
-Toss everything into the pot and let it simmer over low heat. Adjust the sugar ratio to water depending on what syrup consistency you want!
-Set aside to cool before adding to you cake (INPORTANT)
Swiss Meringue Butter cream Recipe:
-Can be found in many cake blog entries.
-Add 1/2 the amount of raspberry jam you make to the icing. Keep at room temperature.
Raspberry Jam Recipe:
-Can be found in my Shrews berry Biscuits Post
Assembly:
-Place sponge cakes on a turntable. Soak each layer with the syrup from your cranberry compote. careful to not lose all the coconut.
-Place a generous amount of icing between layers and begin stacking up the layers.
-Between 2 layers add a cooled cranberry compote, seal the edges with icing, to stop it from slipping away!
-Ice all the layers thinly (this is known as a crumb coat) it locks in all the crumbs and gives a nice finish.
-Place in the fridge to set for 30 minutes.
-Remove from the fridge and add another icing around the cake, thicker this time.
-Place your prepared chocolate shards around the cake, but so the cake doesn't look flat, place a shard underneath each one.
-Dollop some raspberry jam on top, and sprinkle toasted coconut chips on top.
-To finish off tie a ribbon around the cake. I used pink to complement the flavors used in the cake.
You must try this cake if your gluten free! Its a keeper!
Till next time lovelies..
xx
