Delicately sweet bites
This cake is great because you can use whatever fruit is in season. Figs, pears, plums, and cherries work really well, but I chose to use pineapple for something a bit different. I love it alongside the extraordinary freshness of mint and lemongrass.
Upside-down pineapple cakewith freshmint and lemongrass Serves 12
1 stalk lemongrass, root part cut off and exterior layers removed, chopped into 2cm pieces
20 fresh mint leaves (plus a few extra for garnish) 300g coconut sugar
150g butter, softened
a large pineapple, skin and core removed and chopped into 2cm cubes (about 550g)
4 free-range eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
150g all-purpose white flour
80g ground almonds
2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch sea salt
cup whole milk
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius fan-bake. Grease and line a 22cm diameter cake tin.
First, in a food processor, pulse the lemongrass pieces, mint leaves and coconut sugar until finely chopped and incorporated into the sugar.
Set aside.
Next, melt 50g of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 100g of the coconut sugar infused with mint and lemongrass, stirring occasionally for about 4minutes.
Spread this caramel over the base of the tin and arrange the pineapple cubes on top.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the remaining 100g butter and remaining 200g of the infused coconut sugar together until pale, light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
In two parts, add in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, and salt, until just combined.
Finally fold through themilk and stop your electric mixer once all the ingredients are combined. Do not over-mix.
Spoon the batter over the pineapple in the tin, smoothing it to make it even on top.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden in colour, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool for around 10minutes, before turning out on to a cooling rack.
Garnish with some mint leaves.
Serve the cake slightly warmwith yoghurt, cream or mascarpone.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Jordan Rondel