Cardamom, Rose and Rhubarb Cake

I particularly love the taste of cardamom and could not resist making the Cardamon, Rose and Rhubarb Cake by Vanessa Kimbell, from "The Clandestine Cake Club" cookery book, though without the icing and in three layers.  My cake did not look as lovely as the one in the book below but it was extremely yummy.  I also used my  homemade Bluebarb Jam (rhubarb and blueberry) which worked well.  I will share that favourite recipe another time.

The jam had nice chunks of rhubarb in which made the centre quite uneven which I liked.  I finished off my cake with icing sugar and dried raspberry bits.












Recipe

Cardamon, Rose and Rhubarb Cake by Vanessa Kimbell

Serves 8

250g softened butter or soft margerine
250g caster sugar plus 1tsp of ground cardamom
4    large eggs
250g self-raising flour

Rose Filling

300ml double cream
3 drops of rose essence
50g icing sugar, sifted
200g rhubarb jam

Glace Icing

150g icing sugar
warm water to mix

1/     Preheat the oven to 190c/fan  170c/gas mark 5.  Grease and line two, 20cm round sandwich tins.       (I used 3).

2/     Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and adding a tbsp of the flour with the final egg to prevent  it curdling.  Sift in the remaining flour and fold it in with a large metal spoon until combined.

3/     Divide the mixture between the cake tins, spreading it evenly.  Bake in the oven for 20- 25 minutes, until firm to the touch.( It needed slightly less time with 2 tins).  Turn the sponges out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

4/     When the cakes are cool, make the filling.  Whip the cream with the rose essence and the icing sugar until thick.  Spread the jam over the base of one of the sponges, (I did 2) then cover with the whipped cream and place the remaining sponge on top.

5/      Make the glace icing by sifting the icing sugar into a bowl and then gradually adding 1 to 1 1/2 tbsps of warm water until you have a runny mixture.  Pour the icing over the cake and leave to set.

High in happiness calories!