Buttermilk Cake Recipe

I love a regular Victoria Sponge but I’ve recently started to make buttermilk cake as an alternative. Buttermilk cake has a lighter texture than an all butter cake and just as simple to make. With the addition of this warm white chocolate ganache, the buttermilk cake becomes a serious treat. As the ganache is sweet, I’ve lowered the sugar in the cake mix. I also used this basic cake mix to make some banana cake last week. It was more bread-ish than cake-ish if you get what I mean. Still it was the perfect snack for my elevenses – a time when I find I’m dipping in energy during the day.

Meanwhile over here at my desk I’m finalising the arrangements to speak at a special conference for International Women’s Day on a topic close to my heart. I’m very excited to take part and as soon as the details are published I’ll let you know in case you’d like to come along!

In the allotment we are preparing for the growing season ahead at pace. There was a slight pause this past weekend due to all around crap weather and a sick 5-year-old but I’m back at my tools and planning good-oh. As I mentioned on the Seán O’Rourke show on RTÉ1 last Thursday (I still can’t believe I get to chat about food on national radio, what an honour!), I’m growing szechuan pepper for the first time this year. Are you growing anything unusual yourself, or growing for the first time? Do let me know!

Right, to the recipe, as I could yammer on all day about growing food and I want to save it for another post. Cxxx

[recipe][recipe title=”Buttermilk Cake With Chocolate Ganache” servings=”9″ time=”1 hour 20 mins” difficulty=”moderate”]

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 75g caster sugar
• 2 whole eggs (preferably free range)
• 250g plain white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 75ml buttermilk
• 75g blueberries

For The Ganache

• 75ml cream
• 100g good quality white chocolate

Method

Preheat a (fan) oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a square baking tin (15cm x 15cm) with baking parchment and set to one side.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until mixed well. Add the flour, baking powder and buttermilk and mix until you have a smooth batter. If the buttermilk is cold from the fridge the batter will become seize from the cold and become hard, the trick here is to measure out the buttermilk about 1 hour before baking.

Pour the batter into the lined baking tin and sprinkle the blueberries on top. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, until golden on top and cooked through. Remove and allow to cool before slicing.

Before Serving

To make the ganache, heat the cream to boiling point in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and break in the white chocolate. Stir until the white chocolate is melted. Pour over each slice of cake to serve.

[/recipe]