Cake Of The Month : White chocolate & hazelnut cake

‘I love this cake - it perfect for winter because it showcases the best local seasonal ingredients.’

White chocolate & hazelnut cake

·         125g butter, cubed

·         2 tsp baking powder

·         150g white chocolate, chopped

·         120g caster sugar, Pinch of salt

·         100g ground hazelnuts

·         3 eggs

·         1/2 cup orange juice 

·         250g cake flour

·         Grated zest of 1 orange

·         1 tsp vanilla essence  jam

For the topping

·         1 cup cream, whipped, 1/4 cup Cape gooseberry 1 orange, sliced.

1.    Preheat the oven to, 160^oC. Line two 20cm, cake tins. Place the butter, and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water; allow mixture to melt, remove and set aside to cool slightly.

2.    Place caster sugar in a bowl, add the eggs, grated zest, orange juice and vanilla and beat until light.

3.    Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the chocolate mixture to eggs, sift ¡n flour mixture and stir in hazelnuts. Divide mixture between the cake tins, bake for 1 hour. Remove cakes from tins and allow to cool completely.

4.    Topping: Place the cream in a bowl and stir through the jam. Place the cakes on a surface, top each cake with the cream mixture and gently place one on top of the other. Decorate with orange slices. 

Decorate with orange slices.