Prep 30 mins | Cook 45 mins
As tomatoes are part of the fruit world it makes it a little easier to understand how this translates in the form of a cake. Eaten raw these little pearls of sunshine have a natural sweet taste, and they go quite well with pomegranate seeds in salads. Research has shown that most of tomatoes health properties are actually enhanced through the cooking process.
The de-seeding and skinning process of the tomatoes may seem laborious but the end result of this cake is pure gold. Moist and lightly flavoured with lemon make a good pairing for pomegranate decoration and the sweet sharpness they will bring to the dessert.
YELLOW TOMATOES – Yellow tomatoes have double the amount of iron to red tomatoes. It’s a close call as to which is the more beneficial colour tomato. Some highlights of the yellow tomato are that they contain more; phosphorous, potassium, zinc, niacin, and folate than red tomatoes. SOURCE : http://www.prevention.com/which-healthier-red-tomatoes-vs-yellow-tomatoes ). Lycopene, normally associated with red tomatoes (baked beans are a good source for this also), but our bodies can actually digest Lycopene from that found in the yellow tomato. Lycopene is known for its many health benefits including anti-cancer properties and protection from heart disease. (SOURCE: http://organiceyourlife.com/lycopene-and-yellow-tomatoes/ )
Ingredients.
2 eggs
225g self-raising flour
140g unsalted butter
140g caster sugar
140g yellow tomato purée (around 225g of yellow tomatoes make this much purée after de-skinning and de-seeding)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp lemon zest
pinch cinnamon
to decorate;
pomegranate seeds
icing
Method.
Preheat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4
- Rub butter over some greaseproof paper and use this to line a loaf tin.
- Begin by de-skinning and de-seeding the tomatoes. Make a cross with a sharp knife on each tomato and plunge into recently boiled hot water for 30 seconds – 1 minute. Drain from the hot water and immediately plunge into cold water for the same amount of time. Peel away the now loose skins and squeeze to purge the seeds from the tomato.
- Purée in a small food processor until smooth. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until well combined and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, whisking one in at a time.
- Add the lemon zest, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the flour and sift about half of the flour mix into the buttery sugared mix, stir well to combine.
- Add all the tomato purée and stir through thoroughly.
- Sift in the remaining flour and stir.
- Pour the cake batter into the greaseproof paper lined loaf tin and place in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean after inserting in the centre of the cake.
- You can serve pomegranate seeds on the side, or make up some icing with icing sugar and drizzle on top of the cake where you can then “glue” the seeds on top using the icing.
