This is the ultimate, autumnal afternoon treat; it’s very moist and has a marvelous depth of flavour with the spices, brown sugar, pumpkin and orange zest. It’s usually at its best a day or two after making; and as for the beurre noisette buttercream, all I can say is that something truly magical happens when you brown butter! Serve this cake simply at room temperature with coffee.
Ingredients:
For the cake
– 250g light brown sugar
– 200g butter
– 1tbsp golden syrup
– 3 large free range eggs
– 250g self raising flour
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– 1 tsp ground ginger
– ½ tsp ground cloves
– ½ tsp ground nutmeg
– 3 tsp bicarbonate of soda
– 150g raisins
– Pinch of salt
– 1 orange, zest and juice
– 400g pumpkin puree
For the buttercream:
– 500g icing sugar, sifted
– 250g butter
– 1 vanilla pod
– 2 tbsp cream
Method:
For the buttercream:
1. In a saucepan begin to gently melt your butter.
2. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam, swirl your pan to ensure an even contribution of heat.
3. Once the colour of your butter has changed into a deep golden brown, and has a nutty aroma, remove your pan from the heat and set aside to cool.
4. Strain your brown butter through cheesecloth to separate the milk solids, once strained, transfer to a fridge until the brown butter becomes solid again.
5. Remove your brown butter from the fridge, and allow it to come back to room temperature. Once the brown butter has softened, using a stand mixer, beat the butter on a high speed for 4 minutes.
6. Gradually add the icing sugar and the vanilla pod seeds, once fully incorporated add the cream and beat at a high speed for 8 minutes.
7. Transfer your buttercream to a bowl, cover in cling film, and set aside until you are ready to assemble your cake.
For the cake:
1. Grease and flour a 9 inch bundt cake tin.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ gas mark 6.
3. Whisk together the flour, ground spices, bicarbonate of soda, and salt to ensure they are evenly mixed, set aside.
4. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and golden syrup together until light and fluffy, gradually beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
5. On a low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients, orange zest, juice and the raisins.
6. Once fully incorporated fold in the pumpkin puree.
7. Transfer into your prepared bundt tin, bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until firm in the center. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
8. Once your cake has cooled completely, transfer to a cake stand and top with a generous amount of the beurre noisette buttercream – serve and enjoy!
Photography by Ola Ngaditono of Wild Seed Photography.
RECIPE BY THE FLOUR ARTIST
The Flour Artist was created in 2015 by Julie Reardon, a Dublin based baker. After graduating from a BA in culinary arts, Julie continued working in restaurants as a pastry chef under some incredible mentors such as, Brian Walsh owner and chef of the successful Pigeon House Clontarf and John and Sandy Wyer of Forest Avenue. Once Julie had gained some invaluable experience she went on to work for the talented Caryna Camerino founder of Caryna’s Cakes and the award winning Camerino Bakery, here is where she developed a new set of skills and a passion for cake decorating, and so in 2015 The Flour Artist was created. From the outset Julie’s ethos has been to create unique and natural cakes, using primarily buttercream, fresh flowers and fruits in her creations. Sourcing where possible seasonal, local and free range produce which is reflected in her baking.
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