Tim’s lemon trickle mash cake

Presenter, writer, and all round top foodie Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is passionate about how thoughtful and creative cooking can save money and cut down on the food we needlessly throw away.

"The idea for this lovely, moist cake came from Elena Wong on our production team. It’s best made with leftover whole potatoes, which you’ve mashed or, even better, rice once cold. If you’re intending to make it with leftover mash, make sure it doesn’t contain too much butter, milk, cream – or any flavourings such as mustard.

Serves 12.

Download Tim’s lemon trickle mash cake recipe - PDF (337k)

Ingredients

• 175g unsalted butter, softened

• 200g caster sugar

• Four eggs

• 200g ground almonds

• Two tsp baking powder

• 250g plain, cold mashed potato

• Finely grated zest of three lemons

For the topping

• Juice of two lemons

• 75g caster sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Butter and line a 23cm diameter, spring form cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar together until light, pale and fluffy (about five minutes in a mixer). Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of ground almonds with each addition to stop the mixture curdling.

Stir the baking powder into the remaining almonds then fold them into the mixture, followed by the mashed potato and the lemon zest. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Check it after 25 minutes to make sure it is not colouring too much, and cover with a sheet of foil if it is.

Leaving the hot cake in its tin, pierce it all over with a skewer, going quite deep, but not right through to the base. Combine the lemon juice and caster sugar for the topping and, before the sugar has had a chance to dissolve, pour the mixture slowly and carefully all over the cake. Leave to cool completely before serving.