Wiltshire Whitsun Cake is a traditional cake made in Wiltshire, England. It is a light, sponge cake filled with fruit and nuts, and usually coated with icing or frosting.
Note: A handful of sweet geranium or lemon balm leaves may be substituedfor elderflower blossoms if desired.
Top and tail the gooseberries into a mixing bowl.
Add the finely choppedleaves or the florets of elderflower carefully stripped from the stalk, andstir to mix with the fruit.
Sift the flour and baking powder into aseparate bowl.
Cut then rub in the butter.
Stir in the muscovado sugarthen the lightly beaten eggs.
Finally, stir in the gooseberries and theirflavourings.
Grease the base of an 8-inch spring-clip cake tin, line and grease again.
Turn the cake mixture into it and mound it up in the middle.
Bake at 350 F(180 C) gas mark 4 for about 1 1/2 hours.
Unlike most cakes, this one doesnot come away from the sides of the tin when it is cooked.
Cool for a few minutes before unmoulding.
Sprinkle with demerara sugar anddecorate with fresh elder blossom or sweet geranium or melissa leaves, andserve the deliciously moist cake while it is still warm - as a pudding,with plenty of cream.
Source: Philippa Davenport in Country Living (British), June 1988.
Typedfor you by Karen Mintzias .
Ingredients
Directions
Note: A handful of sweet geranium or lemon balm leaves may be substituedfor elderflower blossoms if desired.
Top and tail the gooseberries into a mixing bowl.
Add the finely choppedleaves or the florets of elderflower carefully stripped from the stalk, andstir to mix with the fruit.
Sift the flour and baking powder into aseparate bowl.
Cut then rub in the butter.
Stir in the muscovado sugarthen the lightly beaten eggs.
Finally, stir in the gooseberries and theirflavourings.
Grease the base of an 8-inch spring-clip cake tin, line and grease again.
Turn the cake mixture into it and mound it up in the middle.
Bake at 350 F(180 C) gas mark 4 for about 1 1/2 hours.
Unlike most cakes, this one doesnot come away from the sides of the tin when it is cooked.
Cool for a few minutes before unmoulding.
Sprinkle with demerara sugar anddecorate with fresh elder blossom or sweet geranium or melissa leaves, andserve the deliciously moist cake while it is still warm - as a pudding,with plenty of cream.
Source: Philippa Davenport in Country Living (British), June 1988.
Typedfor you by Karen Mintzias .
