Cake

Preheat the oven to 160c regular bake.

Grease a 20-22cm cake tin and dust all over with cocoa (make sure the tin isn’t too big or the cake will be a little flat). Or, just plonk a piece of baking paper in (that’s what I do now). If your tin is too big, it won’t rise properly.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine evenly. Make a large well in the centre.

Pour the olive oil, vinegar, vanilla and water into the well. Using the whisk, start in the middle and stir the mixture GENTLY in a circular motion until the mixture is combined to a smooth batter – don’t worry if there a few small lumps, these will disappear in the oven. Don’t go crazy or you’ll flatten all the bubbles.

Bake just below the centre of the oven for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven.

If you’re going to serve it as a cake, let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a rack. You can either dust with icing sugar to serve or ice it when cool (see below).

For a delicious pudding, dust with icing sugar and serve straight hot, straight from the tin, with ice cream.

The cake keeps in an airtight container for about 4 days (if it actually lasts that long I’ll be surprised).

Chocolate icing

Place the chopped chocolate and butter (or coconut cream) in heatproof bowl, then set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the bowl).
 Stir until melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan stir in the oil.

Leave to cool at room temperature until it’s thick enough to spread on the cake. If you try and speed it up by putting it in the fridge, keep an eye on it as it will need stirring often.

1. Place berries in a large saucepan

2. Add sugar and water

3. Slowly bring to simmering point over medium heat

4. Remove from heat and quickly pulse a few times in a food processor to loosely blend

5. Strain through a sieve to remove seeds

6. Stir in lemon juice

7. Pour hot coulis into sterilised jars and seal 

8. Leave to cook at room temperature

9. Store in the fridge and will keep 3-4 weeks

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the bananas in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the flour and cinnamon and mix to combine.

• Pour into a 22cm round cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire wrack to cool completely. Serves 8–10

Icing: 

Cream the Tararua Butter until pale and fluffy.

Beat in Chelsea Icing Sugar, one cup at a time.

Add the cocoa then add the Meadow Fresh Original Milk  gradually and beat until smooth and creamy.

Spread on cakes or cupcakes.

Covers 1 cake or 12 cupcakes.

1. Line a 9" spring form pan with parchment paper.

2. Mix the flour, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl.

3. Add the beaten egg and stir til you have a rough dry dough.

4. Add the butter cubes and use a pastry cutter to cut it into the flour mix. Butter should be the size of peas. Refrigerate the flour mixture for 30 minutes.

Pistachio Cream Filling

1. When you remove the flour mixture from the fridge, preheat oven to 350°

2. Using a stick blender or hand mixer whip the cream until it thickens, to just soft peaks. (Do not overbeat to stiff peaks). Blend in the pistachio cream and mix til just incorporated evenly. Do not over mix or the pistachio cream will turn grainy. If this happens add a tablespoon of whipping cream at a time and mix gently until the mixture turns smoother again. Add the eggs and corn starch and mix until just evenly incorporated. See Note 1.

3. Transfer ¾ of the flour mixture to the bottom of the spring form pan and press down firmly to make the bottom 'crust'. Pour the pistachio cream over the bottom. Starting with about ¾ of the remaining flour mixture, sprinkle evenly over the pudding layer. Then use the last of it to fill in any gaps, especially around the outer edges of the pan.

4. Bake 30-35 minutes. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool before sprinkling crushed pistachios and icing sugar evenly over the top.

5. Cut and serve. See Note 2 if you want to serve the cake with additional pistachio cream and crushed nuts.

6. Leftovers keep well in a cool place for 2-3 days. The cake also freezes well for 3 months. (Probably more!)

Note 1:   Pisti should be used at room temperature.  It says not to heat so don't try melting it in the microwave.  Adding whipping cream at room temperature will lighten it up and make it pourable.

Note 2:  If desired whip 1 cup whipping cream to soft peaks, add ½ cup of Pisti pistachio cream and blend just until incorported.  Serve over Pistachio crumb cake if desired with more crushed pistachios.