Spiced Feijoa and Chocolate Cake

Once again during 'Feijoa Season', I'm on the look out for recipes to use the bounty from our tree.
Isabella showed her 'entrepreneur' tendencies and set up feijoa stands over a few weeks and managed to get rid of a lot of them while making herself quite a lot of money. It seems like there are a lot of people who really love feijoas and she certainly had vey well developed sales techniques.

This recipe came highly recommended and it is nice...you just need to be expecting more of a spice cake than a really chocolate hit. The icing is really chocolately though.

The cake is really light and crumbly.







Spiced Feijoa and Chocolate Cake

185g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 free-range eggs
1 1/2 cups peeled, sliced feijoas
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon (first measure)
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon (second measure)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

- Lightly oil or spray a 20cm ring tin. Line the bottom of the tin with strips of baking paper. Heat the oven to 180C.

- Peel ripe feijoas (depending on size  I used 8 egg-sized feijoas) with a sharp knife. Slice each feijoa in half lengthwise, then slice thinly.

- Measure 1 1/2cups of the sliced fruit and place in a bowl with 2 tbsp brown sugar and the first  1/2 tsp cinnamon.

- Cream the softened butter and caster sugar in a small bowl with an electric beater.

- Beat in the eggs one after the other, then transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

- Stir in the prepared feijoas, sifted flour, baking soda, cocoa, second measure of cinnamon and the nutmeg alternately with the sour cream in two batches.

- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly.

- Bake at 180C for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer exits cleanly from the middle of the cake.

- Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the baking paper. Allow to cool completely.

- Cover the top and sides with the chocolate glaze.

For the chocolate glaze

130g dark chocolate
40g butter
 
Place in a small microwave proof bowl and heat on 50 per cent power for about 1 minute. Whip with a knife until smooth and shiny.