Spekkoek Cake Recipe
This Dutch delicacy is made up of layers of spicy and plain firmish batter. Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves make up the spiced layer, which is sandwiched between plain batter layers that are both grilled and drizzled with butter. As a consequence, you'll have a one-of-a-kind show-stopping cake that's likely to become a tea-time favorite.
Ingredients
For the spice mix
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cardamom, about 12 fat green pods
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
For the cake
- 250 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
- 250 g caster sugar
- 8 pic medium eggs, separated
- 200 g plain flour
To brush
- 75 g unsalted butter, melted
- Icing sugar, to dust
Instructions
- Combine the spice mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Line the base of a 20.5cm round springform tin with baking parchment.
- To make the cake, cream butter and half the sugar together in a large mixing basin with a handheld electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the egg yolks in batches, stirring thoroughly after each addition. Fold in the flour with a heavy metal spoon (mixture will be fairly stiff).
- Whip egg whites in a separate dish with clean beaters until stiff peaks form. Add the remaining sugar gradually until the meringue is stiff and glossy. To loosen the butter mixture, stir in a large spoonful of the meringue, then fold in the remaining whites in two batches. Half of the mixture should be spooned into a separate bowl (weigh for optimal results), and the spice mixture should be folded into this bowl.
- Spread a thin layer of the simple mixture (approximately 3 tbsp) into the prepared tin's base with the back of a flatware spoon, spreading to an equal layer. Place the cake tin on the rack so that the top of the cake tin is about 7.5-10cm below the grill. Grill for 1 1/2-3 minutes, or until the cake layer is barely cooked and brown (keep checking on it). Using melted butter, brush the cake (not the sides of the tin) with it. Alternate layering, grilling, and brushing the combinations (you should end up with approximately 12 layers, but it doesn't matter whether there are more or less).
- Allow to cool entirely in the pan before transferring to a cake stand, dusting with icing sugar, and slicing thinly.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
- Protein: 4g
- Total fat: 15g
- Saturates: 9g
- Carbs: 20g
- Total sugars: 13g
- Fibre: <1g
