This is one of my favourite photographs from a shoot for Gourmet Traveller. All the props were sourced from secondhand stores (hmm, and my mother’s cupboards), and I think it compliments the petit gateau well. Rodney Dunn’s recipes are so delicious – he is very creative with his recipes, combining ingredients I would not think of and coming up with masterpieces. And his Baby Spice and Rhubarb Butter Cakes are one of them! I just LOVE this combination of spices – ginger, cinnamon and cloves – I love any recipe with these spices, my favourite being chai (indian tea).
Ben Dearnley is alot of fun to shoot with and I am always happy with the end results. So without further dilly-dallying, here is Rodney’s recipe! It serves 9 but I would say it serves 8 and one extra for you!
Cakes
225 gm soft unsalted butter
¾ cup golden syrup
3 eggs
225 gm (1½ cups) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
Rhubarb compote
2 stalks of rhubarb, thinly sliced
55 gm (¼ cup) caster sugar
1 For rhubarb compote, combine rhubarb, sugar and 1 tbsp water in a saucepan, and bring to the boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 2 minutes or until softened, then cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until liquid has reduced and rhubarb is soft. Cool.
2 Using an electric mixer, cream butter and golden syrup until pale, then add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition, until incorporated.
3 Sift over flour, baking powder and spices and stir to combine, then spoon into 9 lightly greased 2/3-cup-capacity mini loaf pans and spoon 2 tsp rhubarb down centre. Bake at 180C for 12-15 minutes or until just cooked. Allow to cool slightly, then turn out onto wire racks and cool. Cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Wow, that looks great! Thanks for the recipe!
January 6th, 2008 | #
You had me at the recipe title. Sounds wonderful. But your styling…GORGEOUS! The lil’ antique fork and the baby cake on the book! Book as plate? Love it!
January 7th, 2008 | #