Green tea and raspberry cake.... Mood = Frui-tea

Green is not my favourite colour. But it does make for delicious things! Broccoli, Asparagus, Kale, seaweed, Mint, lettuce.... You get the point. But my all time favourite green thing has to be Matcha powder. Green tea is just so good in cakes, ice cream and desserts. The sugar to bitterness ratio is just perfect. I bought so much green tea powder and have been trying many ways to use it up and this was by far the tastiest yet subtle cake i have made. I found the base recipe of this cake on Piggys cooking journal, and altered the fruit, and the additon of the green tea. I also doubled the cake as that recipe was too small for my cake tin.

It combined raspberry, nectarines and green tea powder. Dense, delicious and decadent.

I made this for my ex boss and his wife and to be honest i was a little nervous, as i have never cooked for him, except at his restaurant. But this is very different as it is so personal and not his recipe. Strangely enough the two desserts i made were two that i had never tried before. Not very clever, but i always do this to myself. 

Anyway, this cake was accompanied by an early grey bruleé which i have to say was so thick and creamy we went into a dessert coma for about 15 minutes. I got a thumbs up which is what counts. YAY!!!!

Recipe:

150g butter
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
150g self raising flour
1/4 t Baking powder
2 T Buttermilk or Yoghurt
1 nectarine
2 T green tea powder
1 handful of raspberries

Method:

• Line small loaf pan and set aside

• Beat your butter and sugar till you get a nice thick pale cream texture, and then slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.

• Add the Vanilla extract

• Add the green tea and combine.

• Add the yoghurt or buttermilk and then the flour.

• Do not over beat as this will result in a tough and chewy cake.

• Mix well scraping down the sides and pour into your prepared tin.

• Throw some raspberries into the cake but not too many.

• Then slice the nectarines and place them along the top of the cake.

• Add some raspberries around the nectarines and place in the oven at 180 for about 50 -60 minutes.

Let the cake cool down for five minutes and then release from the pan.

Serve with fresh berries on the side.

This cake is a big hit. I have made it several times since that dinner 2 weeks ago. You will love it. And it almost seems healthy. Raspberries, green tea, Yoghurt and nectarines. Sounds like a fruit salad to me!!!!