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Sri Lankan love cake
ලව් කේක් (love cake): dense, chewy Portuguese Burgher cake of semolina, cashews and pumpkin preserve with rosewater and spices
Love cake is the Burgher Christmas and birthday cake, a legacy of Portuguese rule shaped by Sri Lankan spice gardens, and Colombo families argue happily over whose grandmother's recipe is best. Roasted semolina, butter and a huge quantity of whisked egg yolks and sugar are folded with chopped cashews, pumpkin preserve, rosewater, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg, then baked slowly so the top forms a crisp, sugary crust while the inside stays moist, dense and almost chewy. It is cut into small squares because it is very rich, and served with tea or packed into little boxes for guests. A common mistake is baking until a skewer comes out completely clean, which leaves it dry; the centre should still be slightly sticky. Pumpkin preserve (puhul dosi) is sold in Sri Lankan shops; candied winter melon, sold as petha, is the closest substitute. Chef's tip: make it two days ahead, as the spices and rosewater deepen as the cake rests.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the cake
- 9 oz fine semolina
- 5 ½ oz unsalted buttersoft, plus extra for the tin
- 10 ½ oz caster sugar
- 9 oz cashewsvery finely chopped
- 9 oz pumpkin preserve (puhul dosi)finely chopped
- 2 tbsp rosewater
- 1 tsp lemon zestfrom 1 lemon
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 /2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 /2 tsp almond extract
- 2 tbsp honey (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan). Butter a 23 cm square tin and line it with two layers of baking paper.
Step 2: Toast 9 oz fine semolina in a dry pan over a low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until it smells warm and nutty but has not coloured.
6 minStep 3: Tip the hot semolina into a bowl, add 5 ½ oz unsalted butter and stir until melted and combined. Leave to cool.
Step 4: Whisk 8 egg yolks and 10 ½ oz caster sugar for about 8 minutes until pale, thick and the whisk leaves a trail.
8 minStep 5: Fold in the semolina mixture, then 9 oz cashews, 9 oz pumpkin preserve (puhul dosi), 2 tbsp rosewater, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 /2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 /2 tsp almond extract and 2 tbsp honey.
Step 6: In a clean bowl, whisk 4 egg whites to stiff peaks, then fold them gently into the batter in three goes.
3 minStep 7: Spread in the tin and bake for 75–80 minutes until the top is golden brown and crusted, and a skewer comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
80 minStep 8: Cool completely in the tin, then cut into small squares. Keep in an airtight box for up to a week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sri Lankan love cake take?
- About 110 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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