Strawberry, elderflower tea cake

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This cake came about as one of those happy accidents. Too many strawberries to eat before they spoilt, a bottle of homemade elderflower cordial to hand and an afternoon appetite for cake. It is what I’d call a tea cake and best eaten with a fork. When baked the strawberries become soft and juicy and their sweet juice runs into the sponge bringing a new texture to the cake. You have light and spongey, sweet and creamy and fruity-juicy. To me it almost tastes of strawberries and cream. This cake is definitely best eaten on the day or the day after. The sponge will start to lose its light and fluffiness as time goes on and the strawberry juices seep further into it.

Ingredients

makes one 8 inch cake (8-10 slices)

  • 2 large eggs

  • 200g caster sugar

  • 215ml sour cream

  • 100ml light olive oil

  • 3 tbsp elderflower cordial

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 260g spelt flour

  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • zest of one lemon

  • 340g strawberries – washed, with leaves removed

  • Icing sugar to finish

Method

  • Grease and line an 8 inch loose bottomed, spring-form cake tin and preheat your oven to 180 degrees -fan setting/200 degrees – conventional oven.

  • Dice half of your strawberries and set aside. Halve the remaining strawberries.

  • In a large mixing bowl, using an electric whisk beat together your eggs and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.

  • Add the sour cream, light olive oil, elderflower and vanilla extract. Beat on the lowest setting or combine using a hand whisk. (I prefer to use a hand whisk for this)>

  • In a separate bowl whisk together your flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and lemon zest.

  • Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until just combined using a wooden spoon.

  • Pour half of your cake mix into the tin. Top this with your diced strawberries. The pour the remaining cake mix into the tin and top with the halved strawberries arranging them cut side down.

  • Bake for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and spongey. Remove and allow the cake to cool in its tin for 15 minutes before removing the sides and allowing it to cool fully.

  • Dust it with a little icing sugar and enjoy.

This cake is definitely best eaten on the day or the day after. The sponge will start to lose its light and fluffiness as time goes on and the strawberry juices seep further into it.

 

Sweet ThingsAlexandra Dudley