This Cherry Tomato Cake Is A Celebration Of Tomato-The Fruit

Back in 1500’s when tomatoes reached the European shores, it was feared, rejected and almost banned by people of the ‘good society’. It was considered to be a close ally of the witches in witchcraft, and thus tomatoes have traced their own journey from being the ‘forbidden food’ to the kitchen staple it is today. Because we love to use them in our curries, soups, stews and salads, we often tend to forget that tomatoes aren’t vegetables but fruits instead. Tomatoes are of many kinds and each with its own set of purposes. For instance, softer, sour tomatoes are preferred for curries, as they are easy to melt in the curry and lend a delish tangy touch to them.  

Also Read: 10 Indian Dishes You Can Make Using Tomato As A Base Ingredient

On the other hand, crunchier, sweeter tomatoes are preferred for salads and sandwiches. Cherry tomatoes are an exquisite breed of tomatoes that we love to add to our salads and pastas. They are the size of cherries and sit pretty on anything they are added to, but have you ever seen them being added to cakes? Chef Rahul Sharma of Araku Café Bangalore, how tomatoes can be a delectavbly fruity addition to a cake. “Our cherry tomato cake with tomato jam and mascarpone cream. I have always been fascinated by the flavour possibilities of tomatoes – often used as a vegetable, but very rarely as a fruit. It also packs a lot of umami”, said chef Rahul. Here goes the recipe you have been waiting for  

Ingredients:  

• 200g Butter
• 150g Sugar
• 200g Eggs  
• 200g Flour
• 5g Baking Powder
• 50ml Milk
• 180g Sundried Tomato Paste  
• 50g Cherry Tomatoes

Method:  

1. For 7-10 minutes, whip refrigerated butter and sugar until creamy in a bowl.  
2. Once a creamy consistency has been achieved, add one egg at a time. Keep adding eggs one by one and pause until the eggs are fully incorporated into the paste.  
3. Add milk and sundried tomato paste.  
4. In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.  
5. Gently blend the two mixtures together.  
6. Grease a baking mould of your choice and pour the batter into it.  
7. Bake at 170 degree celsius for roughly 30 - 45 minutes.  
8. To test if fully cooked, insert a paring knife into the center of the cake to see if it has set. If the knife comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out gummy or with crumbs clinging to it, the cake needs more time in the oven.