MAAS-ter Class 1 – Heritage Day Treat

AMASI and MAIZE MEAL LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

Heritge Day in South Africa is celebrated on the 24th of September each year, with a public holiday that brings everyone together to celebrate our wonderful rainbow nation!

Food usually forms a part of this celebration with everyone drawn towards cooking over an open fire or coals, which we call a Braai, we would like to suggest a lovely recipe for something sweet to be enjoyed with tea or coffee during the day……or even after your braai as a little sweetness. We acknowledge our heritage through two great local ingredients Amasi and Maize Meal (corn meal or polenta in other parts of the world)

 AMASI and MAIZE MEAL LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

Serves 8

Ingredients: Cake

1cup (250ml)  maize meal (fine grind)

1 cup (250ml) Amasi / maas

1 Tbs (15ml) grated lemon rind

200g softened butter or baking margerine

1 cup (250ml) sugar

3 eggs lightly beaten

1 cup (250ml) self-raising flour

Optional: ½ cup (125ml) blueberries

Ingredients: Icing

1 cup (250ml) icing sugar

1/4 cup (62.5ml) lemon or lime juice

Method for cake loaf:

Combine the maize meal, amasi, and lemon rind in a bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for 2hrs or overnight.

Lightly grease 23cm x 14 cm loaf tin. Line the base with baking paper

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

Add the softened butter/margerine and sugar to the maize meal, beat with a hand beater to combine.

Stir in the eggs and the sifted flour.

* If you are adding the optional blueberries – stir through lightly now

Spread the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes

Turn out of the tin and allow to cool

Method for Icing:

LEMON DRIZZLE ICING

Sift the icing sugar and stir in the lemon/lime juice.

If a little too thick add a little more lemon juice.

Turn out the cake onto a plate spoon or drizzle over the icing

Serve and enjoy

NOTE: If Amasi is not available then it can be substituted with yogurt or buttermilk and the maize meal can be replaced with polenta or corn meal.