Molten chocolate-Rooibos cake
A classic with new zing that’ll have everyone coming back for more
Prep: 20 minutes – Bake: 35 minutes
Makes 1 enormous birthday cake
- 15 g (1/2 oz. or 3 tablespoons) Cederberg Flowers ou de Safari au Cap
- 400 g (14 oz. or 3 ½ sticks) salted butter, plus a little extra to grease the cake tin
- 400 g (14 oz.) dark chocolate, preferably 70 per cent cacao solids
- 12 eggs
- 400 g (14 oz. or 2 cups) sugar
- 20 g (2/3 oz. or 2 tablespoons) plain (all-purpose) flour
1. With a mortar and pestle, grind the rooibos until it is reduced to a fine powder. (Alternatively, pulse it in a food processor). Dice the butter and chop the chocolate. Melt them together in a double-boiler (bain-marie) over barely simmering water. Stir in the ground rooibos until thoroughly combined. Leave to cool.
2. In the meanwhile, separate the eggs. In a mixing bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until pale and thick. Sift in the flour and stir it in. Stir in the melted chocolate and butter mixture.
3. Preheat the oven to 240° C (465° F / gas mark 9). Butter a large cake tin. Beat the egg whites to the firm peak stage and carefully fold them into the batter, one-third at a time. Pour into the cake tin and bake for about 35 minutes. It should remain nice and moist inside; test with a cake tester or knife tip to ensure it doesn’t go dry.
Tip: Make this cake a day ahead so its flavours can develop fully.
