Nettle Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
100 g raw young nettle leaves
200 g unsalted butter, softened
150 g granulated sugar
3 medium eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
250 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Glaze Icing
125 g icing sugar
Remaining lemon juice
Water as needed
Buttercream Option
600 g icing sugar
300 g softened butter
Remaining lemon juice
Water as needed
Decoration
Edible flowers
Remaining lemon zest
Instructions
Preheat oven to 170°C fan. Grease and line a 2 lb loaf tin or 20 cm round cake tin.
Wash nettles and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain, cool with cold water, and squeeze out excess moisture.
Blend nettles and eggs until smooth.
Cream butter and sugar together. Gradually mix in nettle mixture, vanilla, half the lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
Pour batter into prepared tin. Bake 35–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool completely before icing.
Glaze Icing
Mix icing sugar with remaining lemon juice and enough water to create a thick glaze. Spread over cooled cake.
Buttercream
Beat icing sugar and butter until smooth. Add remaining lemon juice and a little water if needed. Spread over cake.
Finish
Decorate with edible flowers and remaining lemon zest.
