ONE BOWL GOLDEN SULTANA CAKE
PREP TIME: 10min
COOKING TIME: 1hr
SKILL: EASY
SERVES: 20
INGREDIENTS
340g (2 + 1/2 cups) sultanas (or raisins) soaked in 250mls (1 cup) hot water (for about 2-3 minutes or until plump)
170g (3/4 cup) butter*
300g (1 + 1/2 cups) white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 eggs
312g (2 + 1/2 cups) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 175C (350F) and line a deep square 20cm x 20cm (8×8 inch) baking pan with baking paper.
2. In a large saucepan melt butter over a low to medium heat. Once melted, remove from heat and mix in the sugar and vanilla. Add lemon zest, juice and eggs, and water from the sultanas (set sultanas aside) mix well to combine.
3. Coat the sultanas in 1-2 tablespoons of the flour (this helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Sift remaining flour, mixed spice, baking powder, baking soda into the butter mixture along with the sultanas and fold everything together until just combined.
4. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until golden on the top and when a skewer inserted comes out clean (or with a few loose crumbs).
NOTES
* If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt when adding the dry ingredients.
By Sarah Sears
PRO TIPS, TRICKS & EXTRAS
A deliciously moist yet fluffy golden sultana cake. Perfect for any picnic, afternoon tea or snack. Best of all, you can make it all in one bowl!
Dear Non-Fruit Cake Eater,
As a non-fruit cake eater myself, I can assure you that this golden sultana cake is far better and tastier in every way that you can possibly imagine. It’s nothing like a traditional Christmas cake. You’re going to have to trust me on this one. I promise it won’t let you down.
Love from Sarah.
A while ago I asked Kevin’s dad what type of baking he loved to eat. This golden sultana cake was his answer, except he prefers raisins to sultanas. I thought I’d hop to it and make him one.
Sultana cakes can be dark in colour or golden like this one. I prefer the golden colour myself. Sultana cake is a good ‘ol Kiwi recipe that varies from family recipe to family recipe. My Nana used to make it often but I’m not sure exactly what recipe she used – I wish I did.
3 REASONS WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS ONE BOWL GOLDEN SULTANA CAKE:
1. PERFECT TEXTURE
My version creates a texture that is moist, ever so slightly dense but yet still somehow still fluffy. When you bite into a piece of this cake, your teeth hit a slightly crunchy outer later, then straight into the moist layer of the cake, making it a little irresistible. The secret to the texture I think, is due to the baking soda and lemon juice combination in addition to the eggs and baking powder. You can learn more about the wonders of baking soda and baking powder here.
2. ONE BOWL!
This recipe only requires one bowl (well, technically a saucepan, but you get the drift!). This makes the washing up a breeze which is a big win in my house.
3. SO QUICK TO MAKE:
It takes no time at all to mix all the ingredients into the saucepan and then into the cake pan, ready for the oven. In fact, the oven does most of the work for us! Perfect for when you don’t have much time to be in the kitchen. Simply set your timer and walk away.
KEY BAKING SECRET FOR THIS GOLDEN SULTANA CAKE:
To prevent all the sultanas sinking to the bottom of the cake, coat them in a bit of flour before adding to the mixture! Genius isn’t it?
INGREDIENTS:
Nothing fancy is required for this golden sultana cake. Here’s what you will need before you start:
SULTANAS (or raisins): You can use any dried fruit that you like here. Soak them in hot water to make them moist and plump.
BUTTER: salted or unsalted is fine, but if using unsalted – add 1/2 teaspoon of salt when adding the dry ingredients.
SUGAR: Just ordinary granulated white sugar will do the trick here. This helps the cake to be a light golden colour instead of a darker colour which is what brown sugar creates.
VANILLA: Always use the best quality you can find, paste or extract is great.
ZEST OF 1 LEMON: This helps to create a delicious burst of freshness to the cake flavour
LEMON JUICE: The acidity from the lemon juice helps to neutralize the akaline baking soda creating more lift and a tender crumb.
EGGS: Combines all the ingredients together and helps the batter to set in the oven.
PLAIN FLOUR: Also called all-purpose flour. This provides structure to the cake and is also used to coat the sultanas to prevent them sinking to the bottom of the cake.
MIXED SPICE: Essential flavour, it pairs beautifully with the lemon and vanilla.
BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA: Helps to leaven the cake so that it isn’t too dense.
HOW TO MAKE THIS GOLDEN SULTANA CAKE:
1. Preheat the oven to 175C (350F) and line a deep square 20cm x 20cm (8×8 inch) baking pan with baking paper.
2. Next, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. Once melted, mix in the sugar and vanilla. Then add the lemon zest, juice, eggs, and water from the sultanas (set sultanas aside) mix well to combine.
3. In a small dish, coat the sultanas in 1-2 tablespoons of the flour (this helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake).
4. Sift remaining flour, mixed spice, baking powder, baking soda into the butter mixture along with the sultanas and fold everything together until just combined.
5. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until golden on the top and when a skewer inserted comes out clean (or with a few loose crumbs).
How easy is that!?
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