Plum, Citrus and Orange Cake - Keke Paramu, Ārani Me Te Aramona
A delicious cake of three simple layers: A citrus almond cake, topped with black Doris plums and finished with a lemon spiked almond cream. Perfect for dessert or a cake for any occasion.
Servings 12 slices
Ingredients
The Orange Cake - Te Keke Ārani
- ½ C huka hāura (brown sugar)
- Kiri ārani (orange zest, of 1 orange)
- ¼ C wai ārani (orange juice)
- ½ C noni ōriwa (olive oil or neutral oil)
- ½ tsp tote (salt, fine)
- 1 tsp wanira (vanilla)
- 1 hēki (egg, size 6)
- ½ C (50 g) peru oneone (ground almonds)
- ¾ C puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
- 1 tsp pēkana paura (baking powder)
The Plums - Ngā Paramu
- 850 g kēna (can) paramu pango (black Doris plums, you need 8-9 plums)
- 3 tbsp wai paramu (plum juice, from the can)
The Almond Cream - Te Kirīmi Aramona
- 55 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ⅔ C huka one (caster sugar)
- 2 tsp wanira (vanilla)
- ¼ tsp tote (salt, fine)
- 1 hēki (size 6)
- Kiri rēmana (lemon zest, of 1 lemon or orange zest)
- 1 C (100 g) peru oneone (almond meal)
- ½ C puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
- 1 tsp pēkana paura (baking powder)
- ⅓ C (50 g) aramona kua tapahia (sliced almonds or slivered)
- 1 tbsp huka one (caster sugar)
- 2 tbsp wai rēmana (lemon juice, optional)
The Decoration - Te Whakarākei (optional)
- 200 g mascarpone
- ½ C kahitete rēmana (lemon curd, store brought)
Instructions
The Orange Cake - Te Keke Ārani
- Pre-heat the oven to 150 °C. Prepare a 19 cm or 20 cm springform tin by placing baking paper in the base with a big overhang and up the sides.
- Add the huka hāura (brown sugar) to a medium sized bowl. Grate the kiri ārani (orange zest) on top of the huka (sugar). Rub it together with a fork or your hands to intensify the orange flavour.
- Add the wai ārani (orange juice), noni (oil), tote (salt), wanira (vanilla) and the hēki (egg). Whisk well after you add each ingredient.
- Sift the peru oneone (ground almonds), puehu parāoa (flour) and pēkana paura (baking powder) straight in to the wet ingredient. Whisk gently for 10 seconds or until it has all come together.
- Pour it in to your prepared tin. Bake it for 25 minutes until just cooked. Prepare the paramu (plums) as the cake bakes.
The Plums - Ngā Paramu
- Remove 8-9 paramu (plums) from the can, cut them in half and remove the stones. You made need more plums if they are small.
- Arrange each piece of plum on to the keke wera (hot cake). You want a single layer of plums with around 1 cm clear from the edge of the cake tin. Drizzle the wai paramu (plum juice) on top. Leave aside.
The Almond Cream - Te Kirīmi Aramona
- Turn up the oven to 170 °C.
- Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), huka one (caster sugar), wanira (vanilla) and tote (salt) in to a bowl. Whip on high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the hēki (egg) and whip for 20 seconds or so.
- Grate in the kiri rēmana (lemon zest). Add peru oneone (ground almonds), puehu parāoa noa (plain flour) and pēkana paura (baking powder). Fold it together.
- Dollop spoons of this mixture on top of the paramu (plums) and gently smooth it out. Sprinkle the aramona kua tapahia (sliced almonds) on top and finish it with the huka one (caster sugar).
- Bake for 40 minutes in a 170 °C oven. Baking it for 40 minutes will mean the centre of the almond cream will be quite soft, which is what I love. However, if you want it set a bit more, bake for 10 more minutes.
- Pull it from the oven and squeeze the wai rēmana (lemon juice) over the hot cake. This is optional but adds a fresh pop!.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, remove the side of the tin and allow to cool for another 20 minutes with the base still attached. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Serving Option 1: Serve the cake warm with aihikirīmi (ice cream).Serving Option 2: Let the cake cook, dust with puehu huka (icing sugar) and serve with a unsweetened miraka tepe (yogurt).Serving Option 3: Pipe on the mascarpone and kahitete rēmana (lemon curd) and add a few edible flower petals.