Peony and Rose white tea infused teacake with tea soaked strawberry and rhubarb, topped with coconut crumble.

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to bake this lovely cake for the Silva Spoon Tea & Coffee Emporium in Cotton Tree, Sunshine Coast QLD. 

Peony and Rose white tea infused teacake with tea soaked strawberry and rhubarb, topped with coconut crumble.

Crumble mixture

¼ cup Natural oats

¼ cup Plain flour

¼ cup Dried coconut flakes

¼ cup Dried coconut shredded

1 tablespoon raw caster sugar

1 tablespoon Brown sugar

3 drops Rose essence

1 teaspoon Lemon zest

Strawberry and rhubarb topping

½ cup chopped rhubarb

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 cup infused peony and rose white tea

1 tablespoon raw caster sugar

Strawberry sauce

2 cups chopped strawberries

1½ infused Peony and rose white tea

40g raw caster sugar

20ml lemon juice

Cake mixture

450g self-raising flour
150g plain flour
300g butter, cubed
310ml milk
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
6 eggs
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1 cup infused peony and rose white tea

Pre heat the oven to 190.c and have everything at room temperature.

Place milk and tea into a pot and slowly heat for 15min, do not let the milk boil. Let the tea infused milk cool to room temperature.

While the milk is heating chop up the strawberries half and rhubarb into small pieces, for the cake, soaked fruit topping and sauce. Submerge the fruit into 500ml of infused tea. Soak for 15-20minutes.

 

For the cake mixture, sift both flours and baking powder together, up to six times.  Line the bottom of a spring form baking tin with baking paper, and butter the sides. Take out the cakes portion of the soaked strawberries and rhubarb and skater over the bottom of the tin.

In a stand mixer/electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium, increase to high and cream butter until its slightly pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla bean paste. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Now with the mixer on low pour in the cooled tea infused milk and flour, this works best if you alternate between the two until all combined. Pour the cake mixture in to tin on top of the tea infused strawberries and rhubarb. Bake for 40-55 minutes until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, place all the ingredients for the tea soaked strawberries and rhubarb topping in a small pot and simmer slowly over a low heat until just softened, and fruit are just starting to loose shape. Take off the heat and cool.

For the strawberry sauce, place the strawberries and some tea in a food processor, blitz until a smooth paste. Place the strawberry mixture into a small pot with the rest of the strawberry sauce ingredients and simmer over a high heat until thickened. Set aside to cool.

Place all the ingredients for the coconut crumble into a bowl and using your fingertips rub together until just mixed. Spread over a baking try and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. 

Cool the cake in the tin for 15-20 minutes so it holds a nice shape. Turn the cake upside down onto a plate and release the spring part first, then remove the base. Continue to cool.

To assemble; place the tea soaked stewed strawberry and rhubarb on top of the cake, then drizzle over the strawberry sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of the coconut crumble around the edge. Serve slightly heated with a dollop of rose cream.