Scottish Snow Cake is a traditional Scottish recipe for a classic coffee shop staple of a pastry base, jam filling with the sponge topping and icing dusted with grated coconut and which is a variation of the paradise slice. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Scottish version of: Scottish Snow Cake.
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Ingredients:
For the Shortcrust Pastry:
255g (2 cups) flour
170g (1 ½ sticks) butter, cold
57g (¼ c) sugar
1 egg yolk
(about 175g raspberry jam to cover the pastry)
For the Cake :
150g (1 ¼ sticks) good quality butter, unsalted and at room temperature (if you only have salted butter, omit the salt)
150g (⅔ c) caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150g (1 ¼ c) self-rising flour, or all purpose flour with 1 tsp baking powder, SIFTED
a pinch of salt
For the Topping:
about 110g (1 cup) icing (confectioner's)/powdered sugar
a little milk or water
finely-grated, unsweetened coconut to sprinkle on top
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 190˚C.
Prepare the Pastry Base: Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter finely into the sugar, but do not cream. Add the egg yolk and stir to combine.
Add the flour and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it has a breadcrumb-like texture.
Press the resultant mixture into the base of a 22x33cm cake tin, pressing it in firmly.
Transfer to the centre of your pre-headed oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Take care not to let it start to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, whilst you continue to prepare the cake batter.
Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C.
In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until it becomes pale and very light and fluffy.
Add about one third of the beaten eggs, and mix well at medium speed. Now add about a third of the sifted flour. Repeat the addition of egg and flour one more. Now add the remainder of the eggs and mix well, then turn the mixer to low and add the remaining flour just mixing everything until well combined.
Spoon the jam evenly over the pastry base taking care not to let it reach the side of the pan.
Arrange dollops of cake batter all over the jam to make it easier to spread. (Try not to let the jam get mixed into the batter.)
Now spread the batter evenly all over the jam and pastry.
Pop the cake into the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Do not open the oven until you start to smell the cake and it looks well risen (through the glass). Gently insert a cake tester or skewer into the centre of the cake to check that it's completely cooked before removing from the oven. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
To decorate the Snow Cake: Run a knife around the cake, down to the pastry, then shake the pan. You should feel that the cake is loose in the pan before decorating it.
Put the icing sugar in a bowl and slowly add the milk or water a little at a time (1/2 tsp) until a thick, but runny consistency is reached. Adjust with more sugar or liquid if you see the icing isn't spreading nicely. Cover the cake with this icing.
Before the icing begins to dry, sprinkle generously with finely grated, unsweetened coconut.
Allow the icing to dry and set completely which will take a few hours. Once it's set, use a serrated knife to cut the cake into squares (cutting into 18 pieces is a good size).
Alternatively, you can cut the Scottish Snow Cake into fingers or even diamond shapes. Keep covered at room temperature until ready to serve.
