Scrap the chocolate Easter eggs and hot cross buns, because London baking babe Claire Ptak (owner of our favorite East London bakery, VIOLET) has written us three exclusive Easter-inspired recipes. The best part? They're gluttonous without the gluten.
Better than traditional fruit cakes and much more fun, these cakes are a wonderful way to enjoy strawberries. You can prep them ahead of time and store in the fridge overnight, baking them off just before you want to eat them! The strawberries, sugar, and lime cook down into almost a jam whilst the cake on top puffs up to golden perfection. Serve with crème fraîche or double cream.
Strawberry Upside-Down Cake
350 grams strawberries
100 grams caster sugar
Zest and juice of a lime
150 grams butter, softened
150 grams caster sugar (or fine-grained sugar in the US)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
200 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Crème fraîche to serve
1. Heat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Butter 4 to 6 individual heat-proof dishes depending on their sizes. Small pudding basins or Pyrex dishes work well. You can also use sturdy teacups or ramekins.
2. Cut up the strawberries and toss in a bowl with the sugar and lime zest and juice. Divide evenly into your dishes and set aside.
3. Whip the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light and fluffy and pale in color (or by hand if you don’t have one, but be sure the butter is very soft). Add the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla and salt.
4. In another bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder and then mix into the butter mixture just until incorporated. Divide evenly amongst the strawberry bowls and smooth the tops.
5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size. The fruit will start to bubble up and the cake will be golden and springy. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the inside of the bowl and turn out onto small plates. Serve with crème fraîche.
Follow Claire's Instagram to make your mouth water! | See more of Claire's recipes for OC HERE![]()
Photos by Jodie Herbage
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Better than traditional fruit cakes and much more fun, these cakes are a wonderful way to enjoy strawberries. You can prep them ahead of time and store in the fridge overnight, baking them off just before you want to eat them! The strawberries, sugar, and lime cook down into almost a jam whilst the cake on top puffs up to golden perfection. Serve with crème fraîche or double cream.
Strawberry Upside-Down Cake
350 grams strawberries
100 grams caster sugar
Zest and juice of a lime
150 grams butter, softened
150 grams caster sugar (or fine-grained sugar in the US)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
200 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Crème fraîche to serve
1. Heat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Butter 4 to 6 individual heat-proof dishes depending on their sizes. Small pudding basins or Pyrex dishes work well. You can also use sturdy teacups or ramekins.
2. Cut up the strawberries and toss in a bowl with the sugar and lime zest and juice. Divide evenly into your dishes and set aside.
3. Whip the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light and fluffy and pale in color (or by hand if you don’t have one, but be sure the butter is very soft). Add the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla and salt.
4. In another bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder and then mix into the butter mixture just until incorporated. Divide evenly amongst the strawberry bowls and smooth the tops.
5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size. The fruit will start to bubble up and the cake will be golden and springy. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the inside of the bowl and turn out onto small plates. Serve with crème fraîche.
Follow Claire's Instagram to make your mouth water! | See more of Claire's recipes for OC HERE
Photos by Jodie Herbage
