Autumnal Birthday Cake

Hannah is amazing, she amazes us daily but especially when she bakes. Today was special and yes it tasted as good as it looks.

If you're interested this is actually a Nigella recipe but Hannah has improvised with the yummy apples.

FOR THE CAKE:
175g butter, softened
100g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
350ml maple syrup
500g self-raising flour
175ml hot water
3 apples, 2 grated and one finely chopped
2 x 21cm sandwich tins, buttered and lined

FOR THE ICING:
2 large egg whites
125ml maple syrup
125g golden caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon maple extract, optional
125g pecans

Preheat the oven to 180ºC
Beat together the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in well after each addition, then gradually add the maple syrup to make a smooth mixture. Finally, spoon in the flour alternately with the hot water, beating gently until smooth again. Fold through apple. Divide the batter between the two tins, and cook for 40 minutes. A cake-tester, inserted, should come out clean when they're cooked. Let the cakes cool in their tins on a rack for 10 minutes before unmoulding them, then leave them to get cold before you get on with the icing.

Put everything except the pecans and extracts into a glass or metal bowl that fits over a saucepan to form a double boiler. Fill the saucepan with enough water to come just below - but not touching - the bowl when it sits on top. Bring the water to the boil, set the bowl on top and, using an electric hand-held whisk, beat the mixture vigorously for 5-7 minutes. It should stand up in peaks like a meringue mixture. Take the bowl off the saucepan, away from the heat, and add the extracts, beating them in for another minute.
Ice the middle, sides and top of the cake. Chop most of the pecans finely, leaving some pieces larger. Sprinkle over the top of the cake, and throw at the sides. This cake is best eaten the day it's cooked.

Thanks for staying up til midnight Hannah. xx

Comments

Steph Bond-Hutkin commented on 22-May-2012 05:53 PM

OMG! Must make this asap. Lucky gals!

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