Photograph: Karl Rogers. Article from the December 2012 issue of Food and Home Entertaining Magazine.
You Take The Cake recipes are worthy of any celebration
Cardamom and cinnamon macaroon cake
Gabriella Esposito loves food and art, and says, “Although this cake takes time to bake, it remains a family favourite. The macaroons give it great crunch.”
Batter
140g Golden Cloud Cake Wheat Flour, sifted
190g castor sugar
5ml (1 tsp) baking powder
2ml salt
20ml (4 tsp) ground cinnamon
30ml (2 tbsp) ground cardamom
65ml sunflower oil
50ml water
4 large eggs, separated
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
80g white chocolate
60ml (¼ cup) fresh cream
3ml cream of tartar
Macaroon Layer
50g ground almonds
100g icing sugar
30ml (2 tbsp) ground cinnamon
15ml (1 tbsp) ground cardamom
2 large egg whites
75g castor sugar
Macaroon Buttercream
60ml (¼cup) fresh cream
100g white chocolate
200g icing sugar, sifted
80g softened butter
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
1 large egg white
2ml cream of tartar
75g castor sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease 2 x 21cm round cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices to a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.
3. Use a separate bowl to beat the oil, water, egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and beat well.
5. Melt the chocolate with the cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously with a whisk to combine. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add to the cake mixture.
6. Beat the egg whites on high speed in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and beat until and glossy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg white mixture to the cake mixture and fold in gently.
7. Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
8. For the macaroon layer, blend the almonds, icing sugar and spices in a food processor.
9. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. While beating, add the castor sugar in batches until the mixture is stiff, about 2 minutes.
10. Sift the almond mixture into the egg whites and gently fold. Pour the mixture into a piping bag fitted with an 8mm piping nozzle and, in a circular motion, pipe a large circle into a round cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper (I used an acetate baking sheet). It should resemble a tightly stuck together spiral. With the leftover mixture, pipe a few individual macaroons that will be crushed and used as decoration for the topping of the cake.
11. Set aside macaroons for 20 minutes and then bake for 18 minutes at 150°C.
12. For the buttercream, warm the cream and chocolate together over low heat. Remove from heat and cool.
13. Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixing bowl until just combined. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add melted chocolate and cream and beat again until thick, fluffy and creamy.
14. Beat the egg white in a microwaveable bowl until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and sugar and beat until stiff. Microwave for 20 seconds and allow to cool slightly. Beat the mixture into the buttercream until just combined.
15. To assemble the cake, place one layer of cake on a cake stand and spread a layer of buttercream followed by a macaroon layer. Spread a second layer of buttercream and then add final cake layer.
16. Dollop with a generous amount of buttercream for the topping. Garnish with individual macaroons.
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