Pecan Afternoon Tea Cake
This cake is a real delight - light, fluffy and not too sweet. Flourless and no added fat (the pecans make up for that!). It’s based on one provided in Stephanie Alexander’s “must have” book A Cook’s Companion.
Preparation time: 15 mintes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For one 20cm round cake :-
5 separated eggs (free range preferred)
5 Tablespoons castor sugar
Lemon (or cumquat) juice
Zest of one lemon - finely grated
3 teaspoons rum or similar (almost anything works!)
175 grams pecans, ground finely
6 heaped tablespoons icing sugar
Method
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180oC if fan forced).
- Grease a 20cm (approx.) round cake tin and line base with grease proof / baking paper (alfoil works in a pinch but is more trouble prone).
- In a large mixing bowl combine egg yolks and castor sugar and beat until slightly thickened and pale in colour.
- Add a good squeeze of lemon juice (approximately two teaspoons), rum, lemon zest and finely ground pecans.
- Mix gently until well combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold egg whites through the pecan/yolk mixture and place into prepared cake tin.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Cake is cooked when springy to the touch.
- Cool in tin for 5-10 minutes before removing and cooling thoroughly on a wire rack.
- While cooling, prepare lemon icing - 6 Tablespoons of icing sugar to 1-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
- Ice cake with lemon icing (thinly).
This cake tastes great on its own - but if you’re feeling naughty try it with fresh berries and thick cream. Don’t forget the quality Darjeeling tea (try ‘Vintage Himalaya’ from T2)!