This golden, petal-flecked sponge cake is generously smothered with a cream cheese topping and laced with a splash of rum to bring out the mellow scent of dandelion flowers. Irresistible.
Dandelion flower and rum cake by Rachel Lambert
Rachel Lambert, author of – Wild & Sweet – shares her recipe for an aromatic sponge cake flavoured with foraged dandelion flowers
Serves: 10
Published: April 13, 2022 at 3:34 pm
Ingredients
- 125g Butter
- 175g Golden caster sugar
- 40 Dandelion flowers, petals picked, plus extra petals to decorate
- 3 Free-range eggs
- 175g Plain flour, sifted
- 1tsp Baking powder, sifted
- 40 Dandelion flowers, petals picked
- 2-3tbsp White rum
- 250g Cream cheese
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F and line a 20cm/8in cake tin with baking parchment.
Step 2
Start by making the sponge. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until it turns pale. Add the petals picked from 40 dandelion flowers, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Finally, stir in the flour and baking powder, combine well and spoon into the cake tin.
Step 3
Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer pierced into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Step 4
While the cake is cooling, make the topping. In a pestle and mortar, mash the petals with the rum and sugar and leave to infuse for a few minutes. Briefly strain the cream cheese of any excess liquid, then add to a bowl and and stir in the rum-infused petals. Taste and add more rum and sugar if needed.
Step 5
Cover the top of the cake with the topping, cut into slices and serve. Alternatively, carefully cut the cake in half and spread half of the topping in the centre, then sandwich the two halves back together before smothering the rest on top. This cake is best eaten fresh, though you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days: after a day or two, the rum will have evaporated a little and the dandelion flavour will pervade more.
Discover more of Rachel Lambert's recipes in Wild & Sweet with photography by Elliot White (Hoxton Mini Press, £25)
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Gill Meller
