Butterfly Cakes
With Simon Holst
Butterfly Cakes
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Makes: 12
Cost per serve: $2.00
Alison's mother always used to include butterfly cakes as part of her tea parties. As a result we think of them served on finest china with an array of other delicate sweet treats alongside.
Ingredients
1 cup (140g) rice flour
1 cup (130g) tapioca flour
2 tsp gluten free baking powder
1 tsp guar gum
100g butter, softened
3/4 cup (170g) caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 large (size 7) eggs
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
To decorate
whipped cream
raspberry or strawberry jam
fresh strawberries or raspberries, optional
Icing sugar
Method
Heat oven to 170C (160C fanbake), with the rack just below
the middle. Put pleated paper muffin baking cups in 12 medium sized
muffin pans.
Sift the dry ingredients together into a small bowl.
Mix the softened (but not melted) butter and the sugar together in
the food processor, until cream coloured, then add the vanilla and
process again.
Add one of the eggs and a tablespoon of flour mixture and process
until the batter is smooth.
Repeat with the second egg and another tablespoon of flour
mixture.
Tip the remaining flour mixture into the food processor and pour
the milk over everything. Process in bursts until the flour is
incorporated.
Using two dessert spoons, spoon the mixture into the paper cases,
using one spoon to help the mixture off the other.
Each case should be about three quarters full.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until cakes are golden brown, spring back
when gently pressed, and a skewer in the middle comes out
clean.
When cool, cut the top off each cake carefully so the under-side of
the part removed is cone-shaped, leaving a depression to fill with
jam and vanilla flavoured whipped cream.
Carefully cut each removed top in half and arrange the two pieces,
with the just-cut edges facing down, in the cream, rather like
butterfly wings.
Add a small piece of strawberry or a raspberry if you like, and
dust with icing sugar.
(Broadcast 8 October 2012)
