Lemon and White Chocolate Syrup Cake – Keke Waihuka Rēmana me te Tiakarete Mā
I love a lemon syrup cake and this one is no exception. I developed this keke (cake) a few years ago but it needed some adjusting. I wanted the crumb to be softer and the citrus to come through more. I finally mastered it and served it to my whānau the other night who loved it, so it is time to share this recipe!
This keke rēmana (lemon cake) can be baked in a bundt tin or a standard 23 cm cake tin. You choose what to do with it! It is a super sturdy keke (cake) but by making a meringue out of the kahu hēki (egg whites) and folding it through the batter, it creates a lightness as well. I also bake tiakarete mā (white chocolate) in to the cake for a pop of creaminess. A simple waihuka rēmana me te ārani (lemon and orange syrup) is drizzled over the hot cake to increase that citrus flavour. The simple icing is a kirīmi tiakarete mā (white chocolate ganache) flavoured with paramu tauraki-tio (freeze-dried plums) and wanira (vanilla). I was sending this keke (cake) off to someone for The Giving Series when we shot this, so I went all out and added a Swiss Meringue on top too and torched it. This is completely optional but the meringue crown looks so beautiful on top of the bundt cake. 🎂
Where do I get a bundt cake tin?
If you are a long standing baker, you will have seen that many bundt tins are super expensive. Heoi (however), not all of them are and I found the tin that I baked this keke (cake) in for around $15 NZD. It is a Wiltshire Rose Gold Bundt Cake Pan and works perfectly. The most important steps are to baste the tin with a thick layer of pata (butter) and make sure that the cake is being baked at the right temperature.
Lemon and White Chocolate Syrup Cake – Keke Waihuka Rēmana me te Tiakarete Mā
Ingredients
Lemon and White Chocolate Cake – Keke Rēmana me te Tiakarete Mā
- 1 C huka one (caster sugar)
- Kiri rēmana (lemon zest, of 3 lemons)
- Kiri ārani (orange zest, of 1 orange). This can be replaced with another lemon if you want to.
- 170 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- 2 tp wanira (vanilla)
- ½ tsp tote (salt, fine)
- 2 hēki (eggs, size 6)
- 1 C miraka tepe huka-kore (unsweetened yogurt, room temperature)
- 1 ¼ C puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
- ⅓ C puehu kānga (cornflour)
- 1 tsp pēkana paura (baking powder)
- ½ tsp pēkana houra (baking soda)
- ¼ C huka one (caster sugar)
- 90 g tiakarete mā (white chocolate)
Lemon and Orange Syrup – Mīere Rēmana me te Ārani
- Wai rēmana (lemon juice, 3 lemons freshly squeezed)
- Wai ārani (orange juice, 1 orange). This can be replaced with another lemon if you want to.
- ¼ C huka one (caster sugar)
White Chocolate and Plum Ganache – Kirīmi Tiakarete Mā me te Paramu
- 140 g tiakarete mā (white chocolate)
- ¼ C kirīmi (cream)
- ¼ C paramu tauraki-tio (freeze dried plums)
- ½ tsp wanira (vanilla)
- 1 tbsp puehu huka (icing sugar)
Swiss Meringue – Tāhungahunga Swiss (optional decoration)
- 2 kahu hēki (egg whites)
- ½ C huka one (caster sugar)
- ¼ tsp kirīmi tāta (cream of tartar)
Instructions
Lemon and White Chocolate Cake – Keke Rēmana me te Tiakarete Mā
- If you are baking in a bundt tin, pre-heat the oven to 170 °C. Heavily grease the tin with pata kūteretere (softened butter).
- If you are using a 23 cm springform tin, pre-heat the oven to 160 °C.Grease with pata (butter) and line the base and the sides with baking paper.
- Add the first measure of huka one (caster sugar) in to a large bowl. Grate in the kiri rēmana (lemon zest) and kiri ārani (orange zest).
- Using your hands, rub the zest in to the huka one (caster sugar) until fragrant. This step really develops the citrus flavour in the keke (cake).
- Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), wanira (vanilla) and tote (salt) to the ranunga huka (sugar mixture). Whip it on high for 4-5 minutes until fluffy.
- Seperate the two hēki (eggs). Add the tōhua hēki (egg yolks) in to the butter mixture. Add the kahu hēki (egg whites) in to a medium bowl and set it aside.
- Whip the tōhua hēki (egg yolks) in to the butter mixture for 30 seconds or until light and fluffy. Fold in the miraka tepe (yogurt).
- Sift the puehu parāoa (flour) in to the butter mixture. Whētuihia – fold it.
- Sift in the puehu kānga (cornflour), pēkana paura (baking powder) and pēkana houra (baking soda). Whētuihia – fold it.
- Add the second measure of huka one (caster sugar) to the reserved kahu hēki (egg whites). Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks appear. Add a third of the meringue in to the flour mix at a time, folding well after each addition.
- Using a grater, grate the tiakarete mā (white chocolate) directly in to the mixture. Whētuihia – fold it.
- Pour the batter in to the prepared cake tin. Smooth out the top and bake.
- If you are baking it in a bundt tin, bake for 50 minutes in a 170 °C oven.
- If you are baking it in a 23cm tin, bake for 55 minutes in a 160 °C oven.
Lemon and Orange Syrup – Waihuka Rēmana me te Ārani
- 10 minutes before the keke (cake) is finished baking, make the waihuka (syrup).
- Juice your rēmana (lemons) and ārani (orange), you should get around ⅔ – ¾ C juice. Pour in to a pot with the huka one (caster sugar). Boil over medium – high heat for 4-5 minutes.
- If you have baked in a bundt tin, remove the baked keke (cake) from the oven and leave it to sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Then flip it on to baking tray and reveal the beauty of your keke (cake).
- Place the cooling rack on top of a large pereti (plate) and baste the cake with the waihuka (syrup). The plate will catch the drips which you can then use to baste the cake. Allow the cake to cool before adding the ganache.
- If you have baked in a cake tin, remove the baked keke (cake) from the oven and poke holes all over the cake with a kebab stick or something similar. Pour the waihuka (syrup) over the keke (cake), making sure you spread it evenly.
- Allow the keke (cake) to absorb the waihuka (syrup) for 10 minutes in the tin. Then release the cake and transfer to a cooling rack. Don't flip the cake, just use the base of the baking paper to slide it on. Cool.
White Chocolate and Plum Ganache – Kirīmi Tiakarete Mā me te Paramu
- Chop the tiakarete mā (white chocolate) in to fine pieces. Add to a heat proof bowl with the kirīmi (cream).
- Melt it in a double boiler, by placing the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water (around 3cm deep). Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Stir occasionally until a smooth ganache forms.
- Grate the paramu tauraki-tio (freeze-dried plums) in to a small bowl. Add the wanira (vanilla) and puehu huka (icing sugar). Pour the ganache in a little at a time, stirring after each addition.
- For the Bundt Cake – Drizzle the kirīmi (ganache) over the keke (cake), gently nudging it over the edges so it falls down nicely. Serve it just like that or you can do what I did and decorate with the tāhungahunga (meringue).
- For the 23 cm cake – Pour the kirīmi (ganache) over the keke (cake) and smooth it out. I often top it with fresh hua (berries) for a layer of freshness but it is completely up to you. The meringue on top would also like super cute, piled in the centre and made in to a whispy pattern with a fork.
Swiss Meringue – Tāhungahunga Swiss (optional decoration)
- Note: Make the tāhungahunga (meringue) the day you are going to serve the keke (cake). Once it is made, refrigerate the cake until 30 minutes before serving.
- Follow my Swiss Meringue recipe. You are using slightly less ingredients but the technique remains the same.
- Add it to a piping bag or add directly it on top of the keke (cake) in whichever way you want to. Refer to the video to see how I created mine.
- I finished it off by torching the cake, which is also optional. A few edible putiputi (flowers) topped off this stunning creation.
- This will keep well in a sealed container for up to 5 days in the cupboard but I am positive that it will not last long.
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