Chocolate Pomegranate Cake with Lemon Curd and Strawberries
So enamoured was I with the chocolate, lemon curd and strawberry combination after I made these chocolate waffles, that I knew immediately that was what I would use for my birthday cake last week. What I didn’t then know was that I would add pomegranate to the mix.
When I was sent some pomegranate juice drink from The Simply Great Drinks Co, I thought it would make a fabulous addition to my cake. And so it proved to be. Neither CT nor I are particularly keen on sweet drinks and this did taste very sweet. However, we found that a dilution of one third juice to two thirds water suited us very well; it tasted good and was particularly refreshing during hot days. It made for a rather tasty cocktail too – recipe to follow. In fact I only just managed to nab some for my cake before it ran out. The pomegranate flavour was to the fore and the colour was deep and jewel-like. With pomegranates trending as the latest superfood, consuming some has to be a good thing. However, it must be said that PomeGreat, as this drink is called, contains only 30% pomegranate juice. The rest is made up of water and other fruit juices from conentrate.
As some of you may remember, I carried out a cocoa powder tasting trial some time ago. It was Food Thoughts organic and fair-trade cocoa that came out best. Food Thoughts is available in Sainsbury’s, but is not stocked by the Co-op or anywhere else in Liskeard, so I don’t get to use it very often. Luckily, Food Thoughts kindly sent me a couple of pots recently, so it was this cocoa I used in my birthday cake.
On the day, friends hosted an afternoon tea party for me that ended up lasting long into the evening. It was a jolly affair and it even stopped raining long enough to have a walk around their beautiful garden and to spend half an hour sitting out on their newly created terrace. I did much of the baking for the occasion including the gooseberry mini cakes that have already featured. Surprisingly, the most popular bake of the day turned out to be some little muffins made from the gleanings of a weeding session down at the plot. They were modelled on this recipe for carrot and beetroot muffins, only I used tender leafy greens instead of the carrots and beetroot and omitted the cocoa powder. Greens, walnuts and goat’s cheese is a winning combination I found. I also made brownies, peanut butter cookies and madeleines. My friend made sandwiches, quiches and scones, so we had a veritable feast.
The cake went down a storm. No surprise, with its tangy fruity creamy combination it encapsulated summer. The chocolate cake itself was succulent with a light but substantial sponge that was infused with a hint of pomegranate.
A couple of days after my birthday when this cake had long since disappeared, my mother turned up with another birthday cake. Lucky me. I don’t get cakes made for me very often, so I was quite delighted. It was a well textured light fruit cake with a layer of marzipan beneath the icing and although very different, it was equally delicious.
I am sending this off to Emily over at A Mummy Too for her Recipe of the Week.
It also goes to Cook Blog Share with Lucy over at SuperGolden Bakes.
Tasty Tuesdays gets a look in too with Vicki at Honest Mum.
This also goes off to Jenny over at Mummy Bakes Cakes for July’s Celebration Cakes and Bakes.
Chocolate Pomegranate Cake with Lemon Curd and Strawberries
- 225g unsalted butter
- 225g dark brown sugar
- 1 heaped tbsp golden syrup
- 4 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 225g flour (half wholemeal, half white)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 50g cocoa powder (I used Food Thoughts)
- 60g ground almonds
- 150ml pomegranate juice
- 200ml double cream
- 4 heaped tbsp lemon curd
- 300g strawberries – hulled and quartered
- 20g dark chocolate – shaved
Yield: 12 servings
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Just counted 16 individual roses in the garden. There may be more, as yet undiscovered. This was the first one out. Starts off orange, then turns yellow. It has a delicate scent too.
An afternoon at Hinton Admiral. Such glorious weather, such fabulous gardens and grounds. So many Wisterias and different colours too. Stunning peonies.
Haven’t made beet kvass in far too long. It’s so good for you, even beetroot hating CT will drink a glass. Looking forward to trying it in another day or two.
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Honest Mum
19th July 2014
Wow looks amazing and love the marriage of pomegranate with chocolate. Please add my badge or link back to #tastytuesdays. Thanks
Choclette
19th July 2014
Thanks Vicki – link and badge are both there.
Lucy Parissi
19th July 2014
Happy birthday (belatedly) this looks like such a beautifully rich cake. I am intrigued by the pomegranate juice in the batter – though I much prefer using the juice in cocktails!
Thanks for linking to #CookBlogShare.
Choclette
19th July 2014
The pomegranate juice worked very nicely in the cake Lucy, giving both moisture and flavour.
Julie's Family Kitchen
19th July 2014
An amazing looking cake packed full of gorgeous flavours. Beautiful!
Choclette
19th July 2014
Thank you Julie 🙂
Harmony Marsh
19th July 2014
I feel as if I should live with you 🙂 beautiful yummy cakes 🙂
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thanks Harmony – ah, if only we could live on cake 😉
Angela Moore
19th July 2014
What a fabulous cake, a large slice of that would be a whole meal on a plate – in a very good way 🙂
Angela
Choclette
21st July 2014
Well at least some of your five a day are covered Angela 😉
Laura Denman
19th July 2014
Happy belated birthday! This sounds delicious with that combination of different flavours and one I’d find myself quickly addicted to.
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thank you Laura – I can attest that it is rather an addictive combination 🙂
belleau kitchen
19th July 2014
Now THAT is a stunning cake and what a lovely bunch of friends to throw you such an amazing birthday bash. Happy Birthday darling. Celebrate in style as always xx
Choclette
21st July 2014
I know, I am so lucky and it was such an enjoyable affair too. Thank you Dashing Dom 😀
Madeleine Morrow
19th July 2014
You have managed to combine my favourite ingredients into one delicious cake. Let my birthday roll around soon!
Choclette
21st July 2014
What are you planning on doing for yours Madeleine?
Suelle
20th July 2014
Happy belated birthday! I love the way you come up with flavour combinations which sound bizarre, but still produce something delicious every time!
Choclette
21st July 2014
Now that is a comment I will treasure Suelle, I always get the idea you are highly sceptical of my bakes 😉
Jacqueline Meldrum
20th July 2014
That looks amazing Choclette. I’m going to top my next victoria sponge in that style. Gorgeous!
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thanks Jac, so worth doing 🙂
Louise Smith
20th July 2014
Oh god! This looks amazing. I now have the urge to start baking 😀
Choclette
21st July 2014
Oh do start baking Louise, it’s a great deal of fun, though possibly not the best thing for the waistline 😉
thefashionfictionary.com
20th July 2014
ooh i love pomegranate and chocolate <3 I’ll definitely give this recipe a go!
Love Lucinda xx
http://thefashionfictionary.com
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thanks Lucinda. It’s not a combination I have tried very often, but it seems to work.
The Caked Crusader
20th July 2014
Love the colour combination – looks so fresh and vibrant
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thanks CC. Tastes good too – honest!
Angie Schneider
20th July 2014
Happy belated Birthday, Choclette. The layered cake looks amazing.
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thank you Angie, it was one of my better ones 😉
Janice Pattie
20th July 2014
That’s a beautiful cake. I love lemon curd and would have enjoyed a slice of that very much indeed! You certainly had a great spread for your birthday 🙂
Choclette
21st July 2014
Oh I would have been very happy to have served you a slice Janice – still hanging out for a #smuts meet-up down in Cornwall some day 😉
Kate Glutenfreealchemist
20th July 2014
What a beautiful looking cake. Looks absolutely delicious! Happy birthday too!
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thank you Kate – it was rather tasty 🙂
GG
20th July 2014
Great marriage of flavours, I bet it was wonderful. GG
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thanks GG – I shall be sad when the strawberry season is over and my lemon curd has run out.
Honest Mum
20th July 2014
This looks incredible, such a perfect marriage of flavours, my brother owns an Italian restaurant and his Head Chef recently created a strawberry jelly with fresh strawberries and lemon curd, it was amazing! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Choclette
21st July 2014
Ooh that jelly sounds delicious Vicki. Quite like the sound of having an Italian restaurant in the family too 😉
Phil in the Kitchen
20th July 2014
I love that combination of flavours, especially on a summer day. Happy birthday – rather belatedly I’m afraid.
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thank you Phil. All good wishes gratefully received – whenever they occur .
Katie
21st July 2014
That looks gorgeous and I love the all the flavours together. A mix of sweet, tart, fruity, chocolaty – delicious. Looks like a wonderful day
Choclette
21st July 2014
Thanks Katie, you’re right, it’s pretty much got it all there 🙂
Jen Price
22nd July 2014
That is a beautiful cake and a very happy belated birthday! The flavour combination sounds lovely
Choclette
22nd July 2014
Thanks Jen, you can perhaps tell I was a little pleased with it 😉
ManjiriK
22nd July 2014
What a fabulous recipe I would never have thought of using pomeo flavour in a cake ! well done, another fab easy bake! that birthday party sounds so good and love ur tip about using greens and walnuts , am off to read that recipe now! A second birthday cake too – can’t get any better can it ?
Choclette
24th July 2014
Thanks Manjiri, I do like to surprise folk where possible. Getting the balance right and not giving them a shock is the issue. Luckily all worked very well here.
Aunt Bee
22nd July 2014
This is a GORGEOUS cake! All of the flavors together sound so delicious!
Choclette
24th July 2014
Thank you Aunt Bee 🙂
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
24th July 2014
Sounds wonderful, Choclette! Your party sounds wonderful, too! Any excuse for an afternoon tea party, I always say.
Choclette
25th July 2014
Haha Jean – we are two of a kind 🙂
Johanna GGG
25th July 2014
belated happy birthday choclette – you sound like you had a great time – love the sound of this cake and your mum’s cake looks gorgeous – I enjoy pomegranate juice but find juices often quite intense and am happy to dilute with some soda water as I love fizzy drinks
Choclette
25th July 2014
Thank you Johanna. I’m with you on the juice and always water down if I’m drinking. There is something about bubbles and summer and in this hot weather fizz somehow seems to be more thirst quenching.
AMummyToo
2nd August 2014
That looks incredible. I wouldn’t have thought of putting lemon curd on chocolate cake but you’ve clearly pulled it off perfectly! Thanks for linking up to #recipeoftheweek – sorry I’m a bit late over! Have Pinned this post and scheduled in a tweet. New linky just went live for this week 🙂 x
Choclette
7th August 2014
Thanks Emily, if I hadn’t got a load of lemon curd in the fridge, I’m not sure I would have thought of it either, but I’m very glad I did.
mummymakescakes
14th August 2014
This looks so moorish and perfect for a grown up birthday – it sounds like you had a great time. Thanks for linking to Celebration cakes and bakes, I’m catching up after summer holidays took over my life.
Choclette
25th August 2014
Thank you – all those glorious days of summer already seem such a long time ago!