This cake is absolutely perfect for long sunny evenings, and it goes without saying that it should, irrefutably, be accompanied by a tall glass of the liquid form.
The rum part is of course entirely optional, but let’s face it: without the rum there’s no Mojito!
Ingredients
- 9 eggs, separated
- 450g caster sugar
- 230ml water
- 160ml sunflower oil
- 380g plain flour
- 1tsp salt
- 3 limes, zest only
for the filling
- 1 quantity lime curd (recipe on previous post)
- 600ml double cream
- 300g icing sugar
- 10 large mint leaves
- 4tbsp white rum
For the topping
- 250g icing sugar
- Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime
- Mint leaves and lime zest to decorate
Essential Equipment
11-inch round, loose bottomed cake tin, UNGREASED
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas mark 4. Place the egg yolks, sugar, water and oil into a large mixing bowl and beat together until smooth. Sift over the flour and salt and beat in along with the lime zest until well incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, then fold gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the tin and tap the tin lightly to expel any air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 60-75 minutes, until well risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Invert onto a wire rack to cool upside down.
3. Make the filling by whisking the cream and icing sugar to soft, floppy peaks, before folding in the finely chopped mint leaves and rum. 4. When the cake has cooled, remove from the tin and slice into two even layers. Place one onto a cake board or large cake stand and spread it generously with the sharp, lime curd. Then place the cream into a disposable piping bag and snip off the end. Pipe the cream in neat, concentric circles onto the curd, then top with the second half of the cake - I like to use the bottom half and place it upside down so that the flat bottom makes a flat top!
5. Make the topping by beating together the icing sugar and lime juice, using as much juice as is necessary to achieve a spreadable but not too runny water icing - add more icing sugar or lime juice as necessary. Spread this on top of the cake and even out. Finish with a scattering of small mint leaves and zest of another lime.
