Blood Orange, Rosemary & Boysenberry Cake
One of my most favourite all time cake bases which has been well loved and well shared through all my cafe and cake making years and can be adapted so well by changing out the fruit and syrup botanicals. Wonderful cake for celebration as it keeps for days and is sturdy enough to stand up to mounds of whipped cream or icing. Also - yes 9 eggs seems like alot! but this makes 2x very large cakes (if you don’t have deep springform tins it would cover 3-4 shallow cake tins) and you can freeze one if needed for a rainy day. If you do prefer to make just the single layer, I’ve made this many a time with 4 quite large eggs and it’s still fantastic! x
Ingredients:
4 blood oranges
375g caster sugar
375g ground almonds
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
9 eggs
¼ tsp salt
2 cup fresh or frozen boysenberries
Rosemary syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
big handful of fresh rosemary (4-5 stalks)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Place your oranges in a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer for an hour, topping up with water as needed. Drain and allow the oranges to cool completely.
Preheat your oven to 160°C. Butter and line two deep 23cm springform cake tins.
Once the oranges are cool, blend them (skins and all) until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients (except the boysenberries) and blend for 1-2 minutes, until fully combined.
Divide the batter between the prepared tins and dot the boysenberries evenly throughout the batter.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
While the cake is baking make your rosemary syrup; add the water and sugar to a pan and bring to the boil, add rosemary and simmer 2 minutes before turning off the heat, adding lemon juice and zest and allowing to steep while the cake bakes (you can do this ahead of time for a longer steep and stronger rosemary flavour) strain before pouring over the cakes.
While still warm, and in their tins, poke some holes in both cakes and pour over about ¼ cup of the rosemary syrup, allowing to sink into the cake. Cool in tins. (remaining syrup can be stored in fridge for 2 weeks and added to cocktails, mocktails, soda water or over ice cream or pancakes)
Top with vanilla and maple sweetened marscapone, lemon curd, edible flowers, and serve with whipped cream and strong coffee.
The second cake, if not used, can be well wrapped in cling and frozen for up to three months.
These also make the sweetest mini cakes in the large muffin tins and again, freeze incredibly in sealed sandwich bags
