Chocolate Pomegranate Cake with Lemon Curd & 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. I give you my uber lush chocolate pomegranate cake with lemon curd and strawberries.
Pomegranate Juice Drink
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 chocolate pomegranate 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. It must be said, however, that PomeGreat, as this drink is called, contains only 30% pomegranate juice. The rest is made up of water and other fruit juices from concentrate.
Cocoa Powder Taste Test
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.
A Birthday Party Feast
On the day of my birthday, 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 my birthday chocolate pomegranate chocolate cake and the gooseberry mini cakes that have were featured in a previous post.
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.
Birthday Cakes Galore
The cake went down a storm. No surprise there. The tangy fruity creamy combination encapsulated summer perfectly. The chocolate cake itself was succulent with a light but substantial sponge that was infused with a hint of pomegranate. I made the lemon curd too, of course.
A couple of days after my birthday when the chocolate pomegranate 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. Thank you Mamma.
Chocolate Pomegranate Cake with Lemon Curd and Strawberries – The Recipe
- 225 g unsalted butter
- 225 g dark brown sugar
- 1 heaped tbsp golden syrup
- 4 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 225 g flour (half wholemeal, half white)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 50 g cocoa powder (I used Food Thoughts)
- 60 g ground almonds
- 150 ml pomegranate juice
- 200 ml double cream
- 4 heaped tbsp lemon curd homemade if you can manage it
- 300 g strawberries - hulled and quartered
- 20 g dark chocolate - shaved
- Cream butter sugar and golden syrup until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs, one by one, alternating with a spoonful of the flour if necessary to prevent curdling.
- Sieve in the flour, baking powder, almonds and cocoa and stir until just combined.
- Add the pomegranate juice and stir gently until just combined.
- Scrape into two prepared 21 cm cake tins or silicone moulds and bake at 180℃ for 30 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for ten minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whip the cream until peaks form. Divide into two and fold in half of the strawberries.
- Cover one of the cakes with the strawberry and cream mixture, then spread on 2 tbsp of the lemon curd. Place the remaining cake on top and cover this with the plain whipped cream. Cover with the rest of the lemon curd, the strawberries and the chocolate shavings.
Linkies
I am sending this chocolate pomegranate cake with lemon curd and strawberries 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 and to Jenny over at Mummy Bakes Cakes for July’s Celebration Cakes and Bakes.
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this chocolate pomegranate cake with lemon curd and strawberries, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below or via social media. Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them. For more delicious and nutritious recipes, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.
Chocolate Pomegranate Cake. PIN IT.
Honest Mum
19th July 2014 at 11:06 amWow looks amazing and love the marriage of pomegranate with chocolate. Please add my badge or link back to #tastytuesdays. Thanks
Choclette
19th July 2014 at 4:03 pmThanks Vicki – link and badge are both there.
Lucy Parissi
19th July 2014 at 1:10 pmHappy 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 at 4:05 pmThe pomegranate juice worked very nicely in the cake Lucy, giving both moisture and flavour.
Julie's Family Kitchen
19th July 2014 at 3:19 pmAn amazing looking cake packed full of gorgeous flavours. Beautiful!
Choclette
19th July 2014 at 4:05 pmThank you Julie 🙂
Harmony Marsh
19th July 2014 at 6:58 pmI feel as if I should live with you 🙂 beautiful yummy cakes 🙂
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:09 pmThanks Harmony – ah, if only we could live on cake 😉
Angela Moore
19th July 2014 at 7:20 pmWhat 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 at 4:10 pmWell at least some of your five a day are covered Angela 😉
Laura Denman
19th July 2014 at 8:35 pmHappy belated birthday! This sounds delicious with that combination of different flavours and one I’d find myself quickly addicted to.
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:10 pmThank you Laura – I can attest that it is rather an addictive combination 🙂
belleau kitchen
19th July 2014 at 9:02 pmNow 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 at 4:11 pmI know, I am so lucky and it was such an enjoyable affair too. Thank you Dashing Dom 😀
Madeleine Morrow
19th July 2014 at 10:40 pmYou have managed to combine my favourite ingredients into one delicious cake. Let my birthday roll around soon!
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:12 pmWhat are you planning on doing for yours Madeleine?
Suelle
20th July 2014 at 7:48 amHappy 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 at 4:13 pmNow 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 at 12:26 pmThat looks amazing Choclette. I’m going to top my next victoria sponge in that style. Gorgeous!
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:14 pmThanks Jac, so worth doing 🙂
Louise Smith
20th July 2014 at 3:34 pmOh god! This looks amazing. I now have the urge to start baking 😀
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:14 pmOh 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 at 3:44 pmooh i love pomegranate and chocolate <3 I’ll definitely give this recipe a go!
Love Lucinda xx
http://thefashionfictionary.com
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:15 pmThanks Lucinda. It’s not a combination I have tried very often, but it seems to work.
The Caked Crusader
20th July 2014 at 3:52 pmLove the colour combination – looks so fresh and vibrant
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:15 pmThanks CC. Tastes good too – honest!
Angie Schneider
20th July 2014 at 5:29 pmHappy belated Birthday, Choclette. The layered cake looks amazing.
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:16 pmThank you Angie, it was one of my better ones 😉
Janice Pattie
20th July 2014 at 7:53 pmThat’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 at 4:17 pmOh 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 at 9:28 pmWhat a beautiful looking cake. Looks absolutely delicious! Happy birthday too!
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:18 pmThank you Kate – it was rather tasty 🙂
GG
20th July 2014 at 9:48 pmGreat marriage of flavours, I bet it was wonderful. GG
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:19 pmThanks GG – I shall be sad when the strawberry season is over and my lemon curd has run out.
Honest Mum
20th July 2014 at 10:36 pmThis 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 at 4:20 pmOoh 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 at 11:05 pmI love that combination of flavours, especially on a summer day. Happy birthday – rather belatedly I’m afraid.
Choclette
21st July 2014 at 4:21 pmThank you Phil. All good wishes gratefully received – whenever they occur .
Katie
21st July 2014 at 5:33 amThat 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 at 4:21 pmThanks Katie, you’re right, it’s pretty much got it all there 🙂
Jen Price
22nd July 2014 at 10:19 amThat is a beautiful cake and a very happy belated birthday! The flavour combination sounds lovely
Choclette
22nd July 2014 at 10:31 amThanks Jen, you can perhaps tell I was a little pleased with it 😉
ManjiriK
22nd July 2014 at 11:38 amWhat 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 at 10:35 amThanks 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 at 5:24 pmThis is a GORGEOUS cake! All of the flavors together sound so delicious!
Choclette
24th July 2014 at 10:35 amThank you Aunt Bee 🙂
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
24th July 2014 at 6:48 pmSounds wonderful, Choclette! Your party sounds wonderful, too! Any excuse for an afternoon tea party, I always say.
Choclette
25th July 2014 at 7:55 amHaha Jean – we are two of a kind 🙂
Johanna GGG
25th July 2014 at 3:54 ambelated 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 at 7:57 amThank 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 at 5:18 pmThat 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 at 8:40 amThanks 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 at 1:25 pmThis 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 at 11:18 amThank you – all those glorious days of summer already seem such a long time ago!