Three Nut Birthday Cake

 What did I do when I completed my 30 day no sugar and sauces challenge? I baked!

It was a friend's birthday and I had the luxury of baking him and a few friends his birthday cake this year. I kept it really simple though and chose a recipe from Belinda Jeffery's Mix and Bake Book. I thought it was interesting as the cake featured a crust and then the filling itself. Upon looking at the ingredients and method of baking, I imagined the cake to have a macaroon like texture which was what it exactly turned out to be.

I drizzled some melted dark lindt chocolate in a zig zag motion (as recommended by Belinda Jefferys), and I have to say it turned out looking terrific!

Three Nut Birthday Cake

Crust
120 grams almond meal
2 1/2 tablespoon of castor sugar
3 1/2 tablespoon of plain flour
75grm cold unsalted butter cut into small chunks

Filling
125g hazelnuts
100 grams pecans
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup of shredded coconut
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
icing sugar for dusting
200 grams of melted lindt chocolate for decoration.

Pre heat oven to 180C. Line and oil a 20 cm springform cake tin.

Make the crust first- blitz almond meal, sugar, flour into food processor till combined. Add butter and whiz it till it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Press it evently in the cake tin. Fridge it to chill.

Filling- grind hazelnuts, then the pecans in the food processor. Set aside. Place flour and baking powder in medium size bowl. Whisk them together. The add the grounded nuts and coconut. Whisk to combine.

Using an electric beater, mix all the eggs and sugar till fluffy. Pour this mixture to the flour/nut mixture. Fold and combine well. Pour mixture into chilled crust. Shake to even out.

Bake for 40 minutes or so till it is set but soft in the middle. Cool the cake. Loosen it with a butter knife if needed. When ready to serve, dust the top with icing sugar and using melted dark chocolate, drizzle it in a zig zag motion to form the pattern.