PEAR& JUNIPER
BERRY CAKE
PREP+ COOKTIME1 HOUR 40 MINUTES
(+COOLING&STANDING)SERVES 16
3¾cups(375g)walnuts
6 eggs
2⅔cups(585g)castersugar
2 teaspoonsvanillaextract
2⅔cups(400g)self-raisingflour
1 cup(250ml)buttermilk
250gbutter,melted
JUNIPERBERRYPOACHEDPEARS
3 cups(750ml)drywhitewine
3 cups(750ml)water
2 cups(440g)castersugar
2 mediumbeetroots(350g),scrubbed,
slicedthinly
2 tablespoonscrushedjuniperberries
1 tablespoonblackpeppercorns
3 freshbayleaves
2 smallcorellapears(200g),peeled
5 mediumbeurreboscpears
(1.15kg),peeled
TREACLEBUTTERCREAM
350gbutter,chopped,softened
250gcreamcheese,chopped,softened
1½cups(240g)pureicing sugar
2 tablespoonstreacle
1 Makejuniperberrypoachedpears.
2 Preheatovento180°C/160°C
fan.Greasetwo20cmroundcake
pans;linebasesand sides with
bakingpaper.
3 Spreadwalnutsonanoventrayin
a singlelayer.Roastfor7 minutesor
untilbrownedlightlyandfragrant;
cool.Processnutsintofinecrumbs.
4 Whisk3 eggs,11/3cupsofthesugar
and1 teaspoonofthevanillaina bowl
withanelectricmixerfor8 minutesor
untilthickandpale.Usinga balloon
whisk,foldin 1 1/3cupsofthesifted
flouruntilcombined.Foldinhalfthe
groundwalnuts,½cupthebuttermilk
andhalfthebutter.Dividemixture
evenly between cake pans.
5 Bakecakesfor 35 minutesoruntil
a skewerinsertedintocentrecomes
outclean.Leavecakesinpansfor
10 minutesbeforeturning,top-side
up(seenotes),ontowirerackstocool.
6 Washanddrycakepans;grease
andlinepansasinstep2.Repeat
steps4 and5 withremaining
eggs,sugar,vanilla,flour,ground
walnuts,buttermilkandbutter
tomakeanothertwocakes.
7 Maketreaclebuttercream.
8 Placeonecakeona plateorboard.
Reserve⅔cupofthebuttercreamfor
thetopofcake;dividetheremaining
buttercreamintothreeportions.
Spreadoneportionofbuttercreamon
cake;repeatlayering,finishingwith
a cakelayer.Spreadtopwithreserved
buttercream.Decoratecakewith
pears; drizzle with syrup.JUNIPERBERRYPOACHEDPEARS
Placewine,thewater,sugar,beetroot,
juniperberries,peppercornsand
bayleavesina largeheavy-based
saucepan;stirovermediumheatuntil
sugardissolves.Bringtotheboil,
withoutstirring;addpearstopan.
Placea pieceofbakingpaperover
pears;placea smallplateontop
tokeeppearssubmergedinthe
poachingliquid.Simmergentlyfor
20 minutesoruntilsmallpearsare
tender;removesmallpearswith
a slottedspoon.Cooklargerpears
fora further5 minutesoruntiltender
(cookingtimewilldependonthe
ripenessofthepears).Coolpearsin
liquid.Strain1 cupofpoachingliquid
intoa smallsaucepan;bringtothe
boil.Simmerfor 15 minutesoruntil
reducedtoa syrupyconsistency,
about 1/3 cup. Cool.TREACLEBUTTERCREAM
Beatbutterina bowlwithelectric
mixeruntilsmooth.Addcream
cheese,siftedicingsugarand treacle;
beat until light and fluffy.TEST
KITCHEN
NOTES
Pearscanbepoachedup
to2 daysahead.Cakes
andbuttercreamarebest
madeondayofserving.
Toturnoutcakes,top-side
up,firstinvertthecake
ontoa wirerack.Place
anotherwirerackontop
then,sandwichingthe
cakebetweenthetwo
racks, flip it over.58 #COOKWITHTHEWEEKLY
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