Spiced chocolate cake

 

     This cake is flavoured with aromatic cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom and makes a perfect end to a meal.

Makes 24

• 3 eggs
• 200 gr sugar
• 115 gr plain flour
• 5 ml ground cinnamon
• 2 ml ground cloves
• 2 ml freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 ml ground cardamom
• 275 gr unblanched almonds, coarsely ground
• 25 gr lemon peel, finely choped
• 25 gr candied orange peel, finely chopped
• 40 gr plain chocolate, grated
• 2 ml grated lemon rind
• 2 ml grated orange rind
• 10 ml rosewater

For the icing

• 1 egg white
• 10 ml cocoa powder, mixed with 15 ml boiling water and cooled
• 115 gr icing sugar
• 15 ml sugar crystals

Preheat the oven to 325F (160C) ; Line a 12 X 9 in/30 X 23 cm Swiss roll tin with rice paper.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thick and pale ; sift in the flour, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg and cardamom and then stir in all the remaining dry ingredients.

Spoon evenly into the prepared tin and brush with the rosewater ; bake for 30-35 minutes until firm.
Turn out the tin.

To make the icing, stir the egg white into the cocoa mixture, sift in the icing sugar and mix.

Spread over the cake while still warm ; sprinkle with sugar crystals and then return to the oven for 5 minutes.
Cut into squares when cold.

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