Masterchef Mojito Time!!! A Twist on Ben's Raspberry Lime Mojito Cake!

It was the Sunday before my Mum's 65th birthday, Little Miss Two seems to not believe that Nanny has birthdays as everytime its mentioned in the last month she breaks down into fits of laughter and just says "thats too funny"!  So it got to the Sunday and I was dropping her over a day early and she insisted with an hour's notice that "She NEEDS to make Nanny a cake"! Dont worry that I am about to stay up half the night baking 5 layers of cake but "She NEEDS a cake"!

Along with the order that she needs a cake..... with an hour's notice.... but she NEEDS to have raspberries!

So thank you Ben from Masterchef making his elimination winner of a Raspberry Mojito Cake, and unfortunately the recipe didn't make it to the website, I had to "pressure test" my own!

So here we go...... Also an easy peesy recipe for the little ones to help with!
(oh and by the way it was lucious so two ticks to me)!

Raspberry Mojito Cake

2/3 cup Castor Sugar
Zest of 1 Lime
Juice 1/2 Lime
4 Tbsp Butter - room temp
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Coconut Emulsion
Juice 1 whole Lime (additional)
1/2 cup Milk
1 Cup Plain Flour
1 Tbsp Cornflour
1/2 tsp Bi-carb Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch Salt
1/3 cup Dessicated Coconut
1 cup Raspberries - fresh or frozen

Syrup

1 Lime - juice & rind
1/2 cup Castor Sugar
1/2 cup Water

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees and grease and flour your tin, suits round or loaf.

First mix the sugar, zest, butter and first half of lime juice, cream them together in mixer.  Next add the egg, vanilla and coconut emulsion and mix well.  Then add the milk and whole lime juice.

In a seperate bowl sift together the flours, bi carb soda, baking powder and salt, whisk lightly, then add in 3 parts to the mix.  Add the coconut and raspberries and stir through lightly with a spatula.

Pour the cake batter into the pan (ideally a 9 inch springform), tap the tin on the bench to remove the airbubbles (highly recommended as I had a huge air bubble in the centre of my cake. You can also sprinkle sugar over the top for a caramelised top.

Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool for half an hour before removing the cake from its tin.  To make a syrup, squeeze the juice and rind of one lime with the castor sugar and water into a small saucepan on medium heat., reduce by at least half til it changes from a watery mixture to a thick syrup consistancy. I always take a skewer and make several holes through the top of the cake for the syrup to run through. Then pour the syrup over the cake, I only used 2 thirds of the syrup mixture.

Serving recommendation is 12 slices served with freshly whipped cream.

Tastes decedant when you eat it when its still warm.