Lime isn’t something I’ve used in my baking before, and I don’t know why as I love it. It has a fruity, citrus zing to it but without the sour harshness of lemon. I'd bought a bag of limes for Christmas in case I needed them for cocktails....I buy a bag of limes every Christmas for this purpose and always end up throwing them away - but not this time! I'm not sure why I think the success of Christmas hinges on me having a bag of limes in my fridge, but it does.
I thought this cake was perfect for that post Christmas and New Year “I need to eat more healthily but can’t think of a life without cake” period that lasts about 2 weeks (ok, ok – it lasts about 2 minutes).
Admittedly, the cake isn’t stunning to look at but the syrup makes it juicy and soft and comforting – perfect for this horrid cold snap we’re enduring. Syrup cakes get better and better with time as the flavour of the syrup is absorbed into the sponge and matures.
If you want to picture this cake imagine a lemon drizzle cake made with lime and more syrup than you’d use for a lemon drizzle. It has a delicate, refreshing flavour and a beautifully sticky texture that requires a cake fork rather than fingers! In texture, it’s almost akin to a baked cheesecake – it has that dense yet soft and moist sponginess.
When you start brushing the hot syrup over the hot cake you will think you have far too much for it ever to be absorbed. Persevere because it will all get used!
Ingredients
For the cake:
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
220g caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
300g self raising flour
250ml buttermilk
For the syrup:
80ml lime juice (approx 3 limes, depending on size and juiciness)
165g caster sugar
60ml water
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Line a 20cm round springform tin with baking paper – ideally use an all-in-one liner as then no syrup will escape.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Gradually beat in the egg yolks.
- Beat in half the flour, followed by half the buttermilk, then the remaining flour and remaining buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until the soft peak stage.
- Fold the egg white into the cake batter in two stages, to ensure it is incorporated fully.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, level the surface, and bake for approximately 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Mine took 1 hour 5 minutes.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven make the syrup: place all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. You can tell this by looking at the back of the spoon – if there are any crystals it hasn’t dissolved.
- Stop stirring and bring the syrup up to the boil.
- Remove from the heat and brush over the hot cake. Do this gently and gradually so the syrup is absorbed. I found the syrup came up the edge of the cake liner (this is why it’s a good idea to use an all-in-one) but absorbed as the cake cooled.
- Serve at room temperature with spooning cream.
- Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.
15 comments:
It really does look very soft and moist - delicious! I love the texture of buttermilk cakes but am nervous about cakes with separated eggs after a couple of epic failures! I know what you mean about limes. I generally have them in, but often don't get round to using them soon enough.
....my mouth is literally watering!We are snowbound & fast running out of any kind of ingredients,I wish I had kept the limes I ditched-like you I always buy them at Christmas,for imagined sophistication,along with Roses lime cordial(so pretty!)& a jar of Maraschino cherries!Love the blog-I am a novice baker,enthusiastic cake eater!Shevie
Your cakes are always so interesting and here's another that makes me think - I've got to make this one. Limes - yum.
I love lemon pound cake, so the lime must be amazing.Dont give up cake ever. All in moderation.
Ooh, nice one. And it looks so moist. I've always thought that cake should be a food group, and you've proved me right :)
Uhm, proven?
Often in my mind to bake a syrup cake but never got down to it until now. After seeing your cake, this will be my next project :-)
I love looking and eating those cakes that are actually so simple but they actually taste awesome!
This cake looks fabulous and I love how you describe the texture as almost 'baked cheesecake' Lime is so wonderfully zinggy I must bake with it more often
This looks and sounds delicious - and I am a sucker for citrus-flavoured goods. It's a good way to use up some of those limes too.
Another interesting cake bake CC. Buttermilk cakes have a wonderful texture.
I don't think I use limes much either.
I did see the boy's pop a piece of lime into a bottle of ice cold Spanish Lager at Christmas, so sophisticated, it's the Midlands equivalent to cocktails!!!
wow, the texture looks amazing! It's so horridly cold nowadays I just crave for sweet baked goods!
I must have no sophistication because I don't buy limes for the holidays - but I will buy them for this cake. But I think I'll wait until summer, lime cake will be killer then. Hope you are keeping warm this cold winter - good excuse to do some extra baking.
Phwoar - I think the slice with the cream running lazily over the top looks pretty stunning.
I've made this cake soooo many times but I use lemon syrup. It's a simple cake that you get really addicted to eating without realising how much you've eaten!
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