Black Tea Syrup Cake

Serves 10

2 tbsp loose-leaf black tea 2 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup milk

½ cup lime juice

2 tbsp lime zest

1¾ cup caster sugar 3 large eggs

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Blackberry Syrup

400g can blackberries (you can also use boysenberries, blueberries or blackcurrants) ½ cup strong brewed tea 2 strips lime zest

1 star anise

¼ cup caster sugar

Cream Frosting

1 tsp gelatin

1 cup cream

¼ cup honey

Fresh or canned berries, to

garnish

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C. fan forced). Line the bottom of 20cm deep round cake tin with baking paper. Lightly spray with oil and dust with a small amount of flour; tap out excess.

Place black tea in a coffee grinder or food processor and process to a fine powder.

Sift the ground black tea, flour, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl. In a separate bowl combine milk, lime juice and zest.

Beat the sugar and eggs in an electric mixer on high for 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With mixer still running, slowly pour olive oil into the egg and sugar mix and beat for 3-4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk mixture to the batter in three parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, do not overmix.

Spoon batter into the tin and bake in oven for about an hour, or until the cake springs back when touched and a skewer comes out clean. Cool the cake in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make blackberry syrup, drain the berries and set aside. Place the juice in a saucepan with the brewed tea, strips of lime zest, star anise and caster sugar. Bring to a boil, allow to reduce on a low heat, for 10-15 minutes or until reduced by half. Allow to cool completely then drizzle over the warm cake. Reserve 1 tbsp of syrup with the rind and star anise as garnish.

To make the cream frosting, place a mixing bowl in the freezer to chill briefly. Dissolve gelatin in 1 tbsp of boiling water. Let stand until gelatin has dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Beat the cream in the chilled bowl until thick, about 2-3 minutes. Add honey while still beating the cream, and then add dissolved gelatin and beat until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes.

Spoon the frosting over the top of the cake and smooth with a palette knife. Decorate with berries on top of the cream frosting. Spoon over the reserved syrup, along with the rind and star anise.