Ingredients

Method

• 225 g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 225 g caster sugar
• 4 free-range eggs
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 225 g self-raising flour
• 1 - 2 T milk
• 1 t pink food colouring
• Strawberries, halved, for serving
For the white-chocolate ganache:
• 225 g white chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup cream
For the rose-water candied almonds:
• 150 g sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 100 g flaked almonds
• 1 T rose-water

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a deep 20 cm cake tin with baking paper. Cream the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little of the milk if necessary; the batter should have a soft dropping consistency.

Divide the cake mixture between 2 separate bowls, add the food colouring to one and mix, leaving the other plain. Spoon the batter into the cake tins, alternating between spoonfuls of pink and plain cake batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate into a large mixing bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan, pour over the chocolate and stir to melt the chocolate. If the mixture is lumpy, place over a water bath for a few seconds to melt the remaining chocolate. Chill until required.

To make the rose-water candied almonds, preheat the oven to 180°C. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan. When the sugar has dissolved, add the nuts and rosewater. Swirl the saucepan so that the nuts are coated in the sugar syrup.

Pour the mixture onto a Silpad and cover with greaseproof paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the nuts into a thin sheet. Remove the greaseproof paper and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly golden. Allow to cool.

To serve, pour the cooled ganache over the cake. Break the candied almonds into smaller pieces and scatter over the ganache. Serve with fresh strawberries.