If you’re a fan of the famed Katherine Sabbath Persian love cake, her Ginger caramel sponge with Persian fairy floss will go down a treat.
Want to bake a seriously delicious (and seriously impressive) cake worthy of your next birthday or spring party, without spending hours in the kitchen? Baker and cookbook author, Katherine Sabbath, once again has you covered with this easy cake to bake for yourself or loved ones.
Now beloved for her fanciful creations by almost half a million Instagram followers and counting, and the author of two books — Greatest Hits and Bake Australia Great — Katherine Sabbath used to be a high school teacher, who’d derive joy from baking cakes for her students, family and friends. After sharing her creations on Instagram, she says things, “kind of just went crazy.” Despite her huge success both in, and well outside of, the kitchen Sabbath still describes herself as “a very passionate and enthusiastic home baker.”
Her ability to turn a casual cake-making habit into a full-time gig is inspiration enough to keep up with the baking kick you might be on this year. But even if your creations aren’t as elaborate, Sabbath believes: “It’s a really therapeutic act. Your mind goes into your hands and you just zen out.” What’s more, making something from scratch, “is such a generous act. It’s a present that’s not going to go to waste… if you bake something, someone is always going to eat it.”
Whether it’s a random act of kindness, a birthday cake, or a centrepiece for an upcoming party you’re hosting, Sabbath says this Ginger caramel sponge cake with Persian fairy floss is a beautiful yet “very achievable” cake. This one in particular, with its fluffy pink fairy floss top and chunks of ruby chocolate to adorn, looks impressively fanciful considering it comes in at under 45 minutes.
All of the ingredients for this recipe, along with Katherine’s baking essentials (above) are available to buy from David Jones stores. To follow along as she demonstrates just how easy and fun this cake creation is, head to our Instagram to see Katherine in action as part of the ‘At Home with DJs’ series. You’re set to pick up some expert tips from her along the way (like to flip the cake upside down during cooling for a nice flat top) to end up with a fuss-free, sweet treat to enjoy and share.
From bottom left: DAVID JONES Belgian Ruby Chocolate, DAVID JONES Belgian White Chocolate, Pistachio and Sea Salt; MISTY’S Gingerbread Salted Caramel (available at David Jones Food Stores); KITCHENAID Mixer; IITTALA cake stand
“Baking is such a generous act. It’s a present that’s not going to go to waste.” – Katherine Sabbath
Ginger caramel sponge cake with Persian fairy floss, by Katherine Sabbath
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup (160g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 1/2 cups (240g) self-raising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (extract is fine too)
4 free-range eggs, lightly whisked
2 tablespoons hot water
500g cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (70g) soft icing mixture
1 tsp lemon juice
1 x jar of Misty’s Gingerbread Salted Caramel
1 x Pariya Pashmak Rose Persian Fairy Floss
1 x David Jones Belgian Ruby Chocolate
1/2 punnet fresh raspberries
METHOD
1. To make the sponge cake, preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) fan forced. Lightly grease two 18 cm (7 inch) round cake tins and line the base of each tin with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light, pale and creamy. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour, then gradually add the vanilla and eggs, beating well after each addition.
3. Gently fold in the remaining flour and the water. Divide the mixture equally between the cake tins.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the centre of each cake springs back when lightly pressed. Leave the cakes in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover and set aside until needed.
5. To make the gingerbread cream cheese frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, soft icing mixture, lemon juice, and 5 tablespoons Misty’s Gingerbread Salted Caramel until fluffy.
6. To assemble and decorate your cake, place one layer of sponge cake onto a serving platter or cake stand. Using the back of a spoon or pallet knife, spread a generous layer of gingerbread cream cheese frosting on top. Drizzle some extra Gingerbread Salted Caramel over this if desired!
7. On a separate plate, repeat with the second layer of sponge cake and gently place on top of the bottom layer. To finish, decorate with Pashmak Rose Persian Fairy Floss, David Jones Belgian Ruby Chocolate (broken into decorative pieces), and some fresh raspberries. Enjoy with loved ones!
Shop everything you need to nail this recipe, below — and for more of Katherine’s kitchen expertise, be sure to check out our Tastemakers series, as seen in the SS20 issue of Jones Home.
