Baklava cake with honey mascarpone icing

I have always loved the delicate flavours and textures in baklava, so was excited to incorporate these elements into a cake. The honey mascarpone icing is the perfect accompaniment.  

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 200g butter, softened
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 organic eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g plain flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 100g finely chopped walnuts

For the honey mascarpone icing

• 200g mascarpone
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 15ml honey 

For the decorations

• 20g finely chopped pistachios
• Handful dried rose petals

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan bake. Line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, along with the vanilla. Gradually fold in the flour and ground almonds and mix until just combined. Finally fold through the finely chopped walnuts.
3. Pour the batter into the cake tin and spread out to the edges.
4. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. The cake is ready when it is golden in colour, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
5. Allow the cake to cool for around 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
6. Meanwhile, make the honey mascarpone icing. Combine all ingredients until well incorporated and smooth.
7. Once the cake is fully cool, apply a generous layer of the icing and decorate with a scattering of pistachios and rose petals. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Written by Jordan Ronel. Republished with permission of Stuff.co.nz. Image credit: Emma Boyd/Stuff.co.nz