This might not make it as the next deliciousmagazine cover star but it sure “tastes fantastic” and, to a large extent, nostalgic. I chose the well loved Gato Carré Rouge/ square red cake as my contribution for the delicious. baking competition, which is part of the delicious. partnership with Breast Cancer Care. I’m not eligible to participate being a non UK resident.

I’ve had quite a few requests for this one, the omnipresent cake in all Mauritian pâtisseries and street vendors, the Gato Carré Rouge – for lack of a better name – seems to be a derivative of the pink Australian lamington. Originally, a square of sponge cake dipped in chocolate and coated with a thin layer of dessicated coconut, the Mauritian version uses butter cake with red icing and coconut.

I think they have turned somewhat ‘commercial’ now since the cake feels drier to taste and the glorious peanut & jam topping is no longer there. These cute red cubes were just like the real thing but in miniature version and I hope that my readers are happy to see the recipe online, finally.

GATO CARRE ROUGE

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup icing sugar

2 tbs hot water

Red food colouring

1 cup dessicated coconut

2 tbs strawberry jam

2 tbs peanuts, crushed

50g buttercream

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 350oF. Grease and line a 9×9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

  • Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla.

  • Add eggs one by one and beat until the whisk leaves a thick ribbon when lifted from the bowl.

  • Sift flour and baking powder together. Carefully fold into butter mixture until no flour streaks remain.

  • Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden.

  • Cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning on a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares.

  • For the icing, sift icing sugar in a large bowl and add hot water gradually to get a runnu consistency.

  • Tint with red food colouring to get the desired shade. Place dessicated coconut in a shallow dish.

  • Dip one square into the red icing until all sides are evenly coated then roll in coconut and leave to dry.

  • Repeat with the other squares. Decorate with strawberry jam, peanut and buttercream. Makes 16 squares.

Good Old Mauritian Pâtisserie

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