Wednesday 5 March 2008

BOTTLEGREEN'S LEMONGRASS, GINGER & COCONUT CAKE

This light and easy to make cake is the perfect recipe to impress. Once baked, warm diluted Bottlegreen Lemongrass & Ginger cordial is spooned over to give it a magnificent flavour – then it’s iced and decorated with lemon zest and stem ginger. Delicious!

Serves: 8

Ingredients
· 175g (6oz) butter (at room temperature), plus extra for greasing
· 175g (6oz) caster sugar
· 3 large eggs
· 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
· 50g (2oz) desiccated coconut
· 6 tbsp Bottlegreen Lemongrass & Ginger cordial
· 50g (2oz) icing sugar
· 50g (2oz) stem ginger in syrup, drained and thinly sliced
· Fine strips of lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan oven 160°C, Gas Mark 4. Butter a 1.2 lire (2 pint) capacity non-stick ring cake tin or a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin.

2. Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy – this will take about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition.

3. Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon. Do this very lightly, without beating, to keep the air in the mixture. Add the coconut, then gently stir in 2 tbsp of the Bottlegreen Lemongrass & Ginger cordial.

4. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, levelling the surface. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the cake is risen and golden. Test with a fine skewer pierced into the centre of the cake to check that it is done – the skewer should come out clean. Bake for a little longer, if necessary.

5. Cool the cake for a few minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack. Dilute the remaining cordial with 4 tbsp just-boiled water. Spoon this slowly and evenly over the top of the cake, allowing it to soak in. Leave the cake to cool completely.

6. To decorate, mix the icing sugar with a little cold water to make a thin icing. Drizzle this over the cake. Arrange the sliced ginger on top with the lemon rind, then serve.

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