WEEKEND BAKE

Liberty Mendez’s gugelhupf

Growing up, a gugelhupf cake was given to each member of my family for their birthday. The tradition stemmed from my Austrian grandfather, Henry, whose mother used to make it for him. It was left to my grandmother, Judi, to learn how to make it and pass it down the generations. She made gugelhupf mit backpulver (with baking powder), but it can also be made using yeast. This is her variation – she soaks the sultanas in tea to give the sponge lovely flavour and texture. It’s a delicious tradition to pass on.

SERVES 10 PREP 15 mins COOK 40 mins EASY V 150g sultanas

2 English breakfast teabags 200g unsalted butter, softened,

plus extra for the tin 200g icing sugar, plus extra

for dusting

4 large eggs

250g plain lour

4 tsp baking powder 50g ground almonds 1 lemon, zested 4 tbsp milk

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Put the sultanas and teabags in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Leave to steep for 5 mins, then remove and discard the teabags. Leave the sultanas to continue soaking while you prepare the cake mixture. The sultanas can be soaked ahead of time; steep with the tea as above, then leave to soak, covered, overnight.

2 Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl for 3 mins, or until smooth and pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, almonds and lemon zest, and mix briefly to combine. Fold in the milk to loosen. Drain the rehydrated sultanas, discard the tea, then fold the sultanas into the mixture.

3 Generously butter a 25cm, 2-litre bundt tin. Pour in the mixture and level with a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 mins, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Invert the tin onto a serving plate, leave to cool for 5 mins, then lift o the tin. Leave to cool completely, and dust lightly with icing sugar. Will keep for up to three days in an airtight tin.

PER SERVING 436 kcals • fat 22g • saturates 11g • carbs 50g • sugars 30g • ibre 2g • protein 8g • salt 0.6g

My grandmother soaks the sultanas in tea to give the sponge lovely lavour and texture

Liberty was a pastry chef at the House of Commons before joining the Good Food cookery team. As well as baking, she has a keen interest in plant-based cookery and always strives for sustainability in the kitchen. @bakingtheliberty

My mother getting a gugelhupf cake from my grandmother on her irst birthday