Sunday, April 09, 2006

Lemon sunflower sponge cake

The "sunflower" is in the title only because my cake WAS in the shape of a sunflower.



And before anybody begins to think "wow she's a superb baker", let me hasten to add that the shape of a sunflower was entirely and only due to my sunflower-shaped Bundt cake pan, which I bought from the
De Cuisine site. They have some really cool cake moulds, and if you go by the descriptions of their wares, you'd think there was nothing better than those since sliced bread!

There are so many things on the site that I'd consider a bit OTT... but I guess if you have unlimited money and a very large kitchen, all them things would be "must-haves". I dont have either of those in abundance, unfortunately, so I have to pick and choose the things I buy. I have to admit, though, that I've bought other items from them before, and the quality is very good. Then again, so are the prices (phew) - of not just the cake moulds but all their items... I can only afford to buy these things one at at time! (I have my eye on their stainless steel Mandolin for my next purchase... it looks terrifyingly efficient!)

Anyhow, on to the recipe. It's really a basic lemon sponge recipe, and if you dont have a sunflower Bundt pan, use a 10" square or round one. Also be warned that this makes a very BIG cake, and if I were to make it again without using the mould, I'd halve the recipe and use a 7" square pan. This recipe makes a very light sponge, not too crumbly and not dry. It keeps well in an airtight tin for 3-4 days. I was really pleased with it - although I do think that a lemony icing or frosting/filling would have made the cake even nicer. This would work with a round or square cake, not my sunflower. Next time...

Recipe for:
Lemon sunflower sponge cake




Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 tbsp yellow food colouring
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C/325F. Grease a 9" square or round pan lightly. (If using a non-stick sunflower mould, no need to grease).

2. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl.

3. Beat sugar and butter in a large pan until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions.

5. Now add the flour mix and buttermilk alternately to the egg batter, beating well between additions.

6. (Omit this step if not using a sunflower mould and go directly to Step 7) Remove 3 tbsp of the batter and mix the chocolate chips with it. Fill the centre of the mould with this chocolate-chip batter.

7. Add lemon peel and lemon juice to the batter and mix in well.

8. Pour batter into pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or till a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

9. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.



10. Serve with cream or lemon cream and a cup of coffee.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you have any idea how much you're torturing us with your lovely pics? This recipe looks awfully simple and the cake, d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! The bundt pan is worth every penny.
Sandhya

Vaishali said...

Beautilicious. That's how this one looks. I am NOT gonna make this one with my boring cake moulds. I'll just wait until I am invited to your place for a slice...or two...or maybe...(drooling and unable to write any more) :)

Kitchenmate said...

Shammi:
This cake looks yummy and it makes certain of the fact that i want invitation(..hmmm...my manners..sshhh) to your place, when i come to UK sometime(have plans to visit Europe sometime in near future). Dont forget about the invitation shammi!!!
BTW: Looked at thier site and awesome collection isn't:)

Meeta K. Wolff said...

I guess Shammi, we all want invites ;-)! Noone I know has such a fantastic cake tin. So if anyone tries to do this it will only look boring!
It would be pretty neat if we could have a sort of Blog get together though wouldn't it? And everyone brings their own dish .... I think the buffet table would be at least a mile long!
Keep baking Shammi and we'll keep drooling!

Anonymous said...

What a cheerful cake to bake:)shammi,you do have interesting posts of bakes!

Lakshmi said...

you have been tagged.

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh!! how cute is that!! and the chocolate chips for the sunflower seeds ? just brilliant.

Your sunflower cake sure brightened up my monday morning Shammi!!

cheers!

sailu said...

Beautiful!Absolutely gorgegous..

Anonymous said...

Girls, thank you one and all :) Wish we could all meet up - and those of you coming UK-way, PLEASE let me know, and I'll do my best to try and meet up!

Meeta & Vaishali - perhaps it's a little more possible in our cases - you're in Germany, I'm in the UK. Maybe I could take a holiday later in the year in Germany... I've not been to Weimar or Duesseldorf, and perhaps I could brush up on my almost-forgotten German too! :) What say?

Meeta K. Wolff said...

I say got for it girl!!! I'm game!

As a matter of fact I know RyanAir does a London Stanstead flight to Leipzig/Altenburg, which is an hour an half away from me. I could pick you up at the airport!
Vaishali, DB - in 6 hours you are in Weimar!

Ladies, My June/Juli is more or less free!

Vaishali said...

So, when are you coming over, Shammi? Let's just make this happen. I mean it. I am totally for the idea. I would love it, if I could make more friends through blogging. I anyway hate the anonymity in the blogosphere. Getting to know each other personally would be a fantastic idea. And we know that we have at least one thing in common. That's a base wide enough to start a friendship. Let's just do it. I,too, don't have anything planned for June onwards yet. What does thou say?

Anonymous said...

*drooling all over*

Faffer

Anonymous said...

Just gorgeous, Shammy. Adding the chocolate chips is a nice touch. I won't say no to a slice if served from this cake.:)

Unknown said...

Such beauty. A perfect spring cake.

Unknown said...

You are giving undue credit to the bundt pan- the way your cake has come out-absolutely clean , all credit goes to the baker in you...great work Shammi!

Unknown said...

taking a lead from the discussion above, would love to catch up with you when Im in London next month!! We dont know each other well enough but the love for food is a thread good enough to catch
Warm regards
nandita

G said...

Looks delicious!!

My Life As A Reluctant Housewife

Anonymous said...

This cake looks yummy! not very good for the old ticker though.

Unknown said...

Did you have any trouble with getting the cake out of the mold?
Any helpful tips? Thanks.