Ingredients
Cooking oil spray, to grease
200g poppy seeds
100g walnuts, plus extra to decorate
150g store-bought sponge cake, crumbled
2 Tbsp instant coffee powder
200g unsalted butter, softened
80g icing sugar mixture
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 lemon, zested and juiced
5 free-range eggs, separated
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
140g caster sugar, plus 85g extra
100g apricot jam
Method
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Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Grease a 20cm round cake tin with oil spray, and line with baking paper. Put poppy seeds and walnuts in a blender and pulse until thick and sticking together. Put in a large bowl with cake crumbs and coffee powder. Set aside.
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Put butter, icing sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest in bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed for 3 minutes until light and creamy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, until well combined and smooth.
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Put egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer to beat to soft peaks. Add caster sugar in four stages, beating well after each addition, until thick and glossy. Fold half meringue into butter mixture, then alternate the remaining meringue with the poppy seed and walnut mixture. Finally, fold in lemon juice. Spoon mixture into prepared tin, then bake for 40 minutes, until firm to touch.
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Allow cake to cool in tin for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool. Put extra sugar and jam in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until sugar has melted and mixture thickens. Brush over cake, then cool until set. Decorate with chopped walnuts to serve.
Cook's tip: A simple apricot jam glaze enhances the coffee and walnut flavours in this cake
For more of Fast Ed's delicious recipes, pick up a copy of the June issue in selected newsagents and supermarkets or buy online today!
