“I mark every happy moment with a feast to match,” says celeb chef Yudhika Sujanani L’Etang of Curry Me Home (currymehome.co.za). She shares her perfect South-African Indian dinner party menu

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 eggs
  • 370ml castor sugar
  • 4ml cardamom essence or finely ground cardamom seeds
  • 500ml cake flour
  • pinch salt
  • 20ml baking powder
  • 120ml cold water
  • 250ml sunflower oil
  • chopped white chocolate, roasted, shelled pistachio nuts and rose petals (optional), to garnish

FOR THE ICING:

  • 150ml butter, at room temperature
  • 550ml icing sugar, sifted
  • 400g full-fat smooth cream cheese
  • 75ml fresh cream

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease and line 3 x 20cm cake tins.
2. Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk using a handheld beater. Gradually add the castor sugar. The mixture should be light and leave a trail on the surface that’s visible for 3 seconds. Add the cardamom essence.
3. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Add the water and oil to the batter and fold to combine.
4. Divide the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 12–15 minutes or until the cakes shrink slightly from the sides of the tins. Remove from the oven and leave to stand in their tins for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack. Leave them to cool completely.
5. To make the icing: beat the butter with a handheld beater and gradually add the icing sugar. Continue beating until pale in colour. Add the cream cheese and continue beating until the mixture is completely smooth. Add the cream and beat for another minute until well combined.
6. To assemble the cake: sandwich the cakes together with some of the icing, then ice the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with the chocolate, pistachios and petals.

(This recipe makes 1 cake)