zucchini & Lime Cake spiced with
cardamom & Black pepper
Cake
ingredients
250g zucchini
2 large eggs
125mL cup extra virgin olive oil
150g raw caster sugar
150g superfine white rice flour
75g glutinous rice flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, measured before grinding into a fine powder
Zest of 3 limes
method
Preheat oven to 170C
Grease and line a 20cm cake tin and set aside
Grate zucchini, place in tea towel, squeeze as much liquid out as possible and set aside
Put oil, sugar and eggs in the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if preparing manually)
Beat continuously until the mixture becomes thickened and creamy (it takes longer than you think so give it time)
Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined
Add the zucchini, tarragon and lemon zest and mix to incorporate
Pour mixture into prepared tin and place in preheated oven for 35-40mins or until a skewer comes out cleanly
Rest in tin for 5 minutes before removing and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack
back to recipes
lime curd
method
Fill a saucepan with 10cm of water and heat over medium-low heat
Combine egg yolks, sugar, lime juice, lime zest and salt in a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl. Whisk ingredients until combined and smooth
Once the water begins to simmer, place the bowl on top of the saucepan to make a bain marie or double boiler
Leave the heat on medium-low and make sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the bowl
Hold the bowl in place and continuously whisk the mixture until it thickens. This usually takes about 7-10 minutes and can be checked by running a finger along the back of the spoon. If the line remains, it is ready to come off the heat
Remove the bowl from the saucepan and turn off the stove
Add the butter pieces and whisk continuously until the butter has melted and emulsified
The mixture should be thick and smooth at this point
Scrape the curd into an airtight container like a sterilised jar
Leave to cool completely before covering with a lid and placing in the refrigerator
The curd will take at least 3 hours to set-up and can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container
ingredients
120g egg yolks (about 6 eggs)
200g caster sugar
120mL lime juice
Zest of 3 limes
3g salt
100g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
swiss meringue buttercream
ingredients
300g egg whites (about 10 eggs)
500g caster sugar
700g unsalted butter, cut into cubes and cool but not cold
Zest of 2 limes
3g salt
method
Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and lemon juice to ensure there is no trace of grease
Fill a saucepan with 10cm of water and heat over medium-low heat
Combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the electric mixer. Whisk ingredients until combined and smooth
Once the water begins to simmer, place the bowl on top of the saucepan to make a bain marie or double boiler
Leave the heat on medium-low and make sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the bowl
Hold the bowl in place and continuously whisk the mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes and can be checked by rubbing the mixture between your fingers. Once you cannot feel even a grain of sugar, it is ready to come off the heat
Remove the bowl from the saucepan and turn off the stove
With the whisk attachment on your mixer begin to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bowl feels neutral to the touch ie. blood temperature
This can take a good 15-20 minutes but keep going until the bowl has cooled down. If you start adding the butter while it is even slightly warm it will melt and you’ll have a sloppy mess on your hands
Switch over to the paddle attachment on the mixer and turn it on low speed
Start adding the butter cubes one at a time and allow them to incorporate before adding the next
Once all the butter has been incorporated keep mixing until a silky smooth texture
It is at this point that many people think they’ve ruined the mix and throw it away
It will look as though it has curdled but if you hold your nerve and just keep mixing it will move past that stage and become glossy and smooth
Add the lime zest and salt and stir to combine
Swiss meringue buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week
Remove from the fridge and bring it back to room temperature before giving it a whip in the mixer for around 5 minutes to return it to a silky smooth texture
assembly
Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally
Pipe a dam of buttercream around the edge of the bottom layer of cake. This will prevent the lime curd from seeping out the sides
Add the lime curd to the centre of the cake and spread out evenly to cover while retaining the dam of buttercream around the edge
To create a naked cake look then use a small spatula to spread buttercream evenly around the sides before finishing with the remaining buttercream on the top of the cake
Decorate as you like and serve
If you plan to serve at a later time, place the cake in the refrigerator and be sure to remove 2-3 hours before serving. The high amount of butter in the buttercream means it will be quite firm and not pleasant to eat if you don’t allow it time to return to room temperature