The secret ingredient of this cake is potato, which adds both a creamy texture and fluffy effect. This one’s going to take some time to make but the combo of semi-sweet cake, caramelised fruit and tropical ice-cream is a real crowd-pleaser.
Image credit: Samantha Pinto
Serves 6-8
For the cake:
1½ cups butter
1 cup white sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
2 medium potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
1 cup cashews, ground
1 cup desiccated coconut
9 egg yolks
5 egg whites
8–10 bananas
2T brown sugar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease and line a 35 x 25cm high-sided, rectangular baking tin.
2. Using an electric beater, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together until light and creamy.
3. Add in mashed potato, nuts and desiccated coconut, beating to combine.
4. Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing in each addition.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold egg whites into the cake batter until combined (be careful not to beat the air out of the mixture). Pour batter into baking tin.
7. Halve peeled bananas lengthwise and arrange on top. Sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake for 60–75 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
9. Cool before slicing.
The ice cream:
2 cups cream
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup coconut milk
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar, blended until fine
1t honey
¼ t nutmeg
¼ t cloves
Method:
1. In a pot, heat cream, coconut cream and coconut milk with salt. Once hot, allow to cool slightly.
2. Whisk eggs and sugar in a bowl.
3. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture through a sieve into the eggs, whisking until sugar dissolves.
4. Pour mixture back into the pot and place on a low heat for 5 minutes, whisking continually.
5. Divide mixture in two, adding spices and honey to one half.
6. Transfer the two mixtures into separate ziplock bags and press out the air. Place on a tray and freeze for 60 minutes.
7. Blend the two mixtures separately and freeze again for 90 minutes.
8. Blend again, returning to the freezer for one more hour.
9. Now blend the mixtures together and freeze for about 2–3 hours.
Serve
Ice-cream with cake.
*Tip
If you’re short on time, soften shop-bought vanilla ice-cream, stir through a tin of coconut milk, the spices and honey, and refreeze.
