Quince and lemon myrtle syrup cake

Dense with lemon myrtle-scented quince and soaked with the poaching syrup, this cake is just as wonderful served warm as a dessert or for afternoon tea.

Quince and lemon myrtle syrup cake Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  10

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  3 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

It's made with raw sugar, which adds a caramel note. This cake is very simple – just beat everything together!

Ingredients

• melted butter, to grease
• 260 g (1¾ cups) self-raising flour
• 165 g (¾ cup) raw caster sugar
• 185 g butter, diced, softened
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) cooled syrup from poached quince
• icing sugar, to dust
• cream, ice cream or crème fraîche, to serve 

Lemon myrtle-poached quinces

• 3 quinces (about 350 g each), peeled, cut into eighths, cored
• 330 g (1½ cups) caster sugar
• 1.5 litres (6 cups) water
• 10 lemon myrtle leaves

Cooling time: 20 minutes

Instructions

To make the lemon myrtle-poached quinces, combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the quince quarters and lemon myrtle leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, cover the quince with a cartouche (baking paper) and simmer for 1 hour or until the quince is tender when pierced with a skewer. Remove the quince from the syrup and set aside to cool completely. Continue to simmer the syrup for another 30 minutes or until reduced to about 600 ml. Pour into a jug and set aside to cool. Cut each quince wedge into 3 slices.

Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Grease a 22 cm springform tin with melted butter and line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Place the flour, sugar, butter, eggs and cooled poaching syrup in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 minutes or until the mixture is very pale and creamy.

Spoon half the cake batter into the prepared tin and use the back of a spoon to spread evenly. Top with half the poached quince slices. Cover with the remaining cake batter, spreading evenly, and then top with the remaining poached quince on top.

Bake in for 1½ hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Heat the remaining quince poaching syrup until just simmering and then pour about 125 ml (1/2 cup) of the hot syrup over the cake. Set the cake aside in the tin on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, return the remaining syrup to the heat and simmer until reduced by half (you will have about 250 ml / 1 cup) left).

Dust the cake with icing sugar, if desired, and serve warm or at room temperature, accompanied by the remaining syrup and cream.

Baker’s tips

• This cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O'Brien. Food preparation by Tina McLeish.

This recipe is part of our Bakeproof: Autumn fruits column.

View previous Bakeproof columns and recipes here.

Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. For hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at BakeClub. Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via Facebook,Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

It's made with raw sugar, which adds a caramel note. This cake is very simple – just beat everything together!