Spiced Nut Teacake

This recipe comes from the AWW "Cakes, Biscuits & Slices" book and what drew me to this particular cake are the nuts. In fact, I loved the nutty topping so much, I've made twice as much as I should have. The teacake is a really nice light style of cake but those nuts - they are spiced with a mix of cardamom, cinnamon and allspice, tossed in sugar and then toasted in the oven just until the sugar caramelises and the nuts become crisp - a spicy, sweet, nutty nirvana.



Spiced Nut Teacake

60g softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
110g caster sugar
1 egg
150g self-raising flour
1/3 cup milk
20g melted butter, extra

Spiced Nuts:
2 tablespoons shelled pistachios
2 tablespoons blanched almonds
2 tablespoons pine nuts
40g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

Place the butter, vanilla extract, sugar and egg in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Stir in the sifted flour and milk - mix until just combined.

Pour this into a greased and lined cake pan and bake for around 25 minutes or when cooked. If it appears to be browning too quickly, turn the oven temperature down.

Turn out onto a wire rack to cool and make the spiced nuts.

Brush the extra melted butter over the cooled cake top and then sprinkle over with the spiced nuts.

Serve warm or cold.




To make spiced nuts:
Put the nuts into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water. Place the wet nuts into the bowl of a small processor and pulse until roughly chopped - it's fine if there are some larger bits, you want it to have some texture. Place these chopped nuts into a bowl and sift in the combined icing sugar and spices - mix well.

Spread this out onto a lined tray and bake in the oven for around 10 minutes or until the nuts have dried. You'll find that the mixture sets, so just smash it up again with your hands.

Tagged with Cake