Prakash K. Sivanathan, Niranjala M. Ellawala

Love Cake

Name: Love Cake
Yield: Serves 15
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Ingredients: 2 tsp rosewater; 3 tsp almond essence; 375 g (13¼ oz/2¾ cups) pumpkin preserve, finely chopped; 375 g (13¼ oz/2¾ cups) cashew nuts, chopped; 9 egg yolks; 5 egg whites; 3 tsp vanilla essence; 315 g (11 oz/1½ cups) caster (superfine) sugar; 250 g (9 oz/1¼ cups) semolina (medium coarse); 200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter; ¼ tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp lemon zest; 1 tsp ground cardamom; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; 80 ml (2¾ fl oz/⅓ cup) honey

Preparation info

Serves
15

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Sri Lanka

By Prakash K. Sivanathan and Niranjala M. Ellawala

Published 2017

About

This is a sweet treat of national importance, perfumed with exotic spices, and probably originates from the era of Portuguese colonisation. Its natural place is next to a cup of fine Ceylon tea in the afternoon, and then you’ll discover how apt its name is.

Ingredients

250 g (9 oz/1¼ cups) semolina (medium coarse)
200

Asia
Sri Lanka
Preserve
Vegetarian
Cake

Method

In a medium, lidded, dry frying pan (skillet) set over a very low heat, dry-roast the semolina until golden.

Put the roasted semolina in a bowl and, while it is still warm, mix in the butter. Add all the spices and the lemon zest and mix well, then cover with the lid and set aside for about 5 hours.

In a separate medium bowl, tip in the pumpkin preserve, cashew nuts, rosewater,