Chestnut Cake

With November finally here, I have decided it's time to start my Christmas baking. Some might think this is a little untimely, but I just can't wait any longer! I love baking and decorating for Christmas!

This Chestnut Cake looks very wintery with rosemary sprigs as Christmas trees and a thick dusting of icing sugar as snow. Your cake is very likely to crack because of the chestnut flour, but I think this makes the little winter scene even more adorable.

Using chestnut flour not only gives your cake a wonderful nutty flavour, it also makes it suitable for people allergic to gluten. And the fact that it is a very simple recipe makes it the perfect cake for a spontaneous tea party.

You will need:

• 6 eggs
• 250g caster sugar
• 100g melted butter
• 250g chestnut flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 to 2 tbsp rum
• 1 clementine
• some rosemary sprigs and about 3 tbsp icing sugar as decoration

1. In a large bowl, cream together eggs and sugar, beating at least 5 minutes. Add the melted butter and beat some more.

2. Combine chestnut flour, baking powder and cocoa and sift onto egg-mixture. Carefully fold in.

3. Add the rum and juice of one clementine, combine.

4. Generously grease a cake pan (26 cm/ 10 inch). Pour in batter and bake in a preheated oven at 160 °C / 320F for about 40 minutes. Leave to cool for some minutes, remove from pan and let cool completely on a cake rack.

5. Garnish with a few sprigs of rosemary and a generous dusting of icing sugar.