Exotic Carambola Cake

Exotic carambola cake

I was given a bag of organic carambola or star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) from a lady whose garden I visited in inner Brisbane. Her carambola tree was growing in a narr
ow shaded organic garden bed adjacent to a swimming pool. It was dripping carambolas all over the place, providing constant source of fruit for her growing family. They were delicious.

I went onto the internet looking for recipes to use carambolas and came up with a recipe that I have adapted to use my bananas as well as the Limoncello liqueur we had in the fridge. The combination of flavours is excellent. If you don’t have the Limoncello liqueur, substitute any citrus liqueur or even orange juice. Turn it upside down when cooked to get the full effect of the star fruit on the base of the cake.

Ingredients

1 cup caster sugar
125g softened butter
3 eggs
2 cups plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup milk
1 mashed, ripe banana
30ml Limoncello liqueur

Topping:

2 cups finely sliced carambola, seeds removed
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
Grease a round 20cm cake tin. I find a spring form pan good. Heat oven to 180° C fan forced.

First prepare the star fruit topping.
In a small bowl cream together the brown sugar and butter until light golden brown. Spread it
over the base of the tin. Lay the sliced star fruit over this mix in a decorative pattern.

Cake mix:

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix through. Add all other cake ingredients and stirgently to combine.

Pour the cake batter over the prepared butter and star fruit in the tin. Cook for approx 45
minutes or until risen and golden brown.
Let it sit in the tin 5 minutes before loosening around the edges and turning out onto a plate.
When cool, it will keep in the fridge in an airtight container 2 days.
We enjoyed it with ice-cream as a dessert.