A simple gluten free cake starring fresh pomegranate.
This cake is a play on Nigella Lawson’s Pomegranate Jewel Cake. I have added a double cream topping with orange blossom and raspberries because I love the balance of the cream to the sweet cake and the addition of orange blossom.
Ingredients
8 eggs
Pinch salt
300g caster sugar
Zest of one orange
300g almond flour
Juice of 1 orange
2 tbsp orange blossom water
Juice of 1 large pomegranate
300g double cream
½ cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
2 tbsp orange blossom water
1 tbsp icing sugar
Seeds from one pomegranate
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced.
Grease and line a rectangle baking tin (33cm x 23cm x 5cm).
Separate the eggs, putting the whites into a large bowl, and the yolks into a separate smaller bowl.
Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt, until they are stiff but not dry, then whisk in 100g of sugar before putting them to one side.
Add the remaining 200g sugar and zest to the yolks and beat until the mixture is light and airy then beat in the ground almonds. This will be very thick so add a good spoonful of whisked egg whites before folding the rest of them into the almond mixture.
Fold in the remaining egg whites in thirds working firmly, but gently, so everything is well combined but the mixture maintains its air. Work quickly and firmly but don’t overmix.
Pour into the tin and bake for about 30 minutes. It should be starting to go golden and the center needs to spring back a little when touched.
In a small saucepan, gently toss the raspberries, icing sugar and orange blossom until the sugar has dissolved.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the pomegranate juice, raspberry and orange blossom mix over the cake while it is still hot and in its tin.
Let the cake cool and absorb the juice and leave until cold before removing from the tin.
Place the cake on a stand or plate, cover in a rustic manner with the double cream.
Decorate the cake with raspberries and pomegranate seeds then a few baby mint leaves.
Cooks Tip:
Click here to watch Jamie Oliver show how easy it is to seed a pomegranate.
