RECIPE

Peter shares his recipe for the classic Sri Lankan sweet treat called Love cake. Scented with nutmeg, cinnamon, honey and rosewater, it’s perfect for afternoon tea. To make a gluten-free version of this cake, substitute the semolina with corn or rice semolina.

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Serves 16 | Prep Time: 25 mins | Cooking Time: 1 hr 25 mins | Skill: Mid

Ingredients

• 300g semolina, lightly toasted
• 125g butter
• 10 eggs, separated
• 400g sugar
• ¼ cup grated crystallised pumpkin (available at Sri Lankan grocers)
• 80g honey
• 185g cashews, crushed
• 40ml rosewater
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• Zest of 2-3 limes
• Icing sugar, to serve

Note
• Crystallised pumpkin is available at Sri Lankan grocers.

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
  2. Place the semolina and butter in a tray. Place in an oven until the butter has melted.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix until combined. Stir in the crystallised pumpkin. Stir in the honey and cashews. Add the rosewater and stir to combine. Add the nutmeg and cinnamon and stir until the mixture is pale.
  4. In a clean dry bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the cake mixture. Stir in the lime zest.
  5. Add the semolina-butter mixture to the cake mixture. Pour into a tray lined with baking paper. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until firm to touch. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly. Dust with icing sugar and cut into slices to serve.
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