Cherry, Marzipan & Pistachio Cake
Ladies Who Inspire Me
There’s an inordinate amount of bad news to discuss these days. I’ve never been so interested in politics and I’ve become one of those people who argues with racist twerps on the internet. But we’re not even gonna go there. This is a purely positive post which I’d like to dedicate to the go getting ladies out there. With a female PM now leading our country I want to talk about some REAL inspirational ladies.
All the following ladies are STRONG INDEPENDENT WOMEN who I admire for various reasons. Lets discuss.
Reshmi Bennet – Baking Genius
Rebecky Alford – She Gone and Done It
Darshanee Amlani – The Determinator
Reshmi Bennett
Reshmi is not only an amazing baker but a lady I admire for her ferocious passion. Each one of her cakes is like a wee baby to her and she protects them to the last crumb. She has, unfortunately, encountered some internet trolls who haven’t wished her well, but she seems to handle situations with just the right level of sarcasm. I like that. She’s just great. And she’s Indian. My baking Indian, or Bindian, role model. So her cakes aren’t just your usual buttercream towers, they are adorned with all sorts of chocolate work, macaroons and even doughnuts! And the fellas are sold in Selfridges. Imagine that?! Selfridges. What a dreeeeam. I can only hope to be half as talented as her when I’m all grown up!
Website: angesdesucre.com/
Instagram: @angesdesucre
Rebecca Alford
Or Beckton as I like to call her, is my dear friend and owner of No 1 Polsloe in Exeter. This babe runs one of the most beautiful little cafe’s which is full to the brim with all the love she pours into it. She initially started off just working at the cafe under its original owners. One thing lead to another and she found herself the boss lady. Having no experience in setting up a business, She Gone and Done It. She turned No 1 Polsloe into a gorgeous cafe that not only looks delightful but has a cracking menu. Becky cares a lot about where her ingredients are from and tries to source them as locally as possible. The thing I can’t get over is that she does it all, she’s on the shop floor serving customers, she does the shopping, she does the business side of things and she still has a social life. She truly is a lady to be admired. Also she’s hilarious and weird. If you’re ever in Exeter, you must go.
Instagram: @no1polsloecafe
Facebook: facebook.com/no1polsloecafe
Darshanee Amlani
Now this little lady is my cousin. I say cousin but we grew up together so she’s more like my sister 🙂 and she is the Determinator. I have never met someone more determined to follow their dreams. And her dream is to be a doctor. She is studying all the way in Brno, which in itself is a big deal. As we are such a close knit family, I would find it really hard to be away from everyone, especially for so long. She’s overcame a number of obstacles to get to where she is, and all with a huge smile on her face. I honestly don’t know how she did/does it! But she is ’cause she’s the Determinator. She’s gonna be the best Doctor that’s for sure.
As I embark on slowly building my own business I’m inspired by these talented, driven and passionate souls. If I can channel their positive energy into what I’m doing there’s hope for the KB.eats empire yet! Thanks ladies for being so darn admirable!
CAKE CAKE CAKE
This is a cake I made for my Mum’s birthday back in 2013. It went down so well I made it again for my Dad’s birthday in 2014 (thank goodness they both have summer birthdays) and I was supposed to share the recipe with you then but then it wasn’t cherry season and who knows what happened last year!
Anyway here it is. The most delicious Cherry, Marzipan and Pistachio cake with a hint of Orange Blossom.
Recipe
I made this cake so long ago I nearly forgot where I got the recipe from. For a brief moment I thought I’d lost it for good as it wasn’t written in my trusty notepad but thank goodness I have the worlds most organised bookmarks. There it was FOOD > SWEET > CAKE . So for you guys who don’t have access to my bookmarks bar, the original recipe can be found here.
I used a mixture of fresh cherries and tinned cherries for this and it works a treat.
Serves: 1-12
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 1hr 20mins
Difficulty: Looks impressive, easy to make!
Equipment
Mixing Bowls
20cm Round Spring Form Tin (greased and lined)
Ingredients
225g unsalted butter (room temp)
130g golden caster sugar
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
2tsp orange blossom water
4 eggs
150g self raising flour
100g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
150g marzipan (chopped 1cm cubes, tossed lightly in flour)
300g Cherries (stoned, finely chopped & tossed in flour)*
juice of 1 orange
1tsp orange blossom water
50g unsalted pistachios (shelled, lightly toasted & roughly chopped)
*Keep a couple whole to put on top or decoration 🙂
Method
-
- Preheat oven to 170c/150c fan/gas 3.5
- Beat together butter, lemon & orange zest and sugar for 3-5mins until pale and fluffy. (Use an electric whisk/stand mixer if you have one)
- Add the orange blossom water then beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and pinch of salt until combined.
- Fold in half of the marzipan and cherries.
- Pour mix into prepared tin. Top with remaining marzipan and cherries – push them down so they are slightly covered in batter.
- Bake for 20mins.
- Turn down heat to 160c/140c fan/gas 3 and bake for 50-60 mins.
- After 30mins check the cake and if it is beginning to get darker on the top, cover with foil and continue to bake until skewer comes out nearly clean (few moist crumbs is perfect). **
- Remove cake from oven. Poke holes all over top of cake.
- Mix together orange juice and orange blossom water and pour over cake.
- Leave cake to cool for 10mins in the tin before removing and leaving to cool completely.
- Cover with roughly chopped pistachios and cherries.
**Do not open the door before 30mins otherwise your cake will sink**
IT’S A CHERRY GOOD CAKE
I of course went to Glastonbury last month and had an incredible time. One of the bands I saw who I have a new appreciation for is Sigur Ros…
KBx