Eat your cake semi-nude

It's the latest Instagram trend to only semi-ice a cake '“ but with this moist blueberry and elderflower layer, less is definitely more.
Semi-nude blueberry and elderflower layered cakeSemi-nude blueberry and elderflower layered cake
Semi-nude blueberry and elderflower layered cake

At the Sofitel London Gatwick Hotel, executive head chef, David Woods, shares a winning recipe.

If you need an excuse to eat more cake, it’s now National Baking Week (October 15-21).

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Many of you would have honed your cake making skills at the recent Macmillan World Coffee Morning. At the Sofitel London Gatwick Hotel, we set out to find the best recipe among the team in a bid to raise funds. After much deliberation and sampling, our staff chef Adam Payne swept the cake board with his semi-nude layered blueberry and elderflower creation.

David WoodsDavid Woods
David Woods

Recently married, one of the tiers of Adam’s wedding cake was a layer of blueberry and elderflower sponge. Inspired, Adam created his own recipe, which has a swirl of blueberry compote added to the sponge mix to create a light but oh-so-squidgy texture.

La Brasserie is Sofitel’s 2 AA rosette restaurant. To book a table call 01293 567070 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter. Share your Great British Dishes with us on Instagram by tagging @SofitelLondonGA

Semi-nude blueberry and elderflower layered cake

For the blueberry compote:

450g blueberries

85g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod

2 tbs lemon juice

For the sponge:

6 medium eggs

100g natural yogurt

50ml milk

450g butter

450g caster sugar

450g self-raising flour

5 tabs elderflower cordial

Zest of one lemon

For the icing:

250g softened butter

300g cream cheese

700g icing sugar, sifted

Zest of one lemon

Method

Make the compote – place all the compote ingredient into a saucepan and gently heat for 10 minutes until the fruit softens. Blitz in a food processor and leave to cool.

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Grease and line two 20cm cake tins and preheat the oven to 160 oC.

Cream the butter and sugar together and gradually beat in the eggs. Carefully fold in the flour. Stir in the elderflower cordial, natural yogurt, lemon zest and milk.

Divide the mixture between the two tins. Divide the compote between the two tins and use a fork to swirl it through the cake mix.

Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. To test if cooked, the sponge should ‘bounce back’ if pressed lightly with your finger. Leave to cool in tins, then remove and slice each cake in half crossways so you have four layers.

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Beat all the icing ingredients together until smooth. Spread icing between each of the sponges and then roughly coat the whole cake in a light layer. Decorate with extra blueberries.

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