Spiced Passion Cake

I met Meilina thru Facebook and become good friends. Meilina who lives in NY is also the owner of www.kadonusantara.com and after some conversation thru email then I becoming one of her cake vendors.

Last summer Meilina visited Indonesia and finally we both met for the first time. Meilina gave a very precious gift, "Cakes & Cake Decorating, Step by Step" by Angela Nilsen, Sarah Maxwell & Janice Murfitt.

This book is awesome! I love the recipes they have, and since the first time I read this book I was in love with Spice Passion Cake as this cake is pretty unique. Last night I tried this cake...and love the result. This cake is moist, spiced sponge and when combining with the cheese, the taste is just perfect! I didn't have cream cheese last night so I substitute the topping using butter and castor sugar mix + cheddar cheese shreded.



Ingredients(serves 10)
1 medium carrot
1 medium courgette/zukini
3 large eggs (I used 4 medium size)
115gr / 4 oz/1/2 cup soft light brown sugar (I substitute with palm sugar)
30ml/2 tbs ground almonds
finely grated zest of 1 orange (I used lemon)
115gr/ 4 oz/1 cup self-raising wholemeal flour (I used 1 cup - 2 tbs all purpose flour + 1 tsp baking powder)
5ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the topping
175gr/ 6 oz/1/4 cup low -fat soft cheese
5ml/1 tsp clear honey

My topping was:
1/4 cup butter
2 tbs castor sugar
cheddar cheese shreded as you wish

Directions1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. Line an 18cm/7 inch square tin with baking parchment. Coarsely grate the carrot and courgette/zukini.
2. Put the egg yolks, sugar, ground almonds, and orange/lemon zest into a bowl and whisk until very thick and light.
3. Shift the flour and cinnamon together and fold into the mixture with the grated vegetables. Add any bran left from the flour in the sieve.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold them in, half at a time. Spoon into the prepared tin. Bake in the oven for 1 hour, covering the top with foil after 40 minutes.
5. Leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack and carefully remove the lining paper.
6. For the topping, beat together the cheese and honey, and spread over the cake.