Jordan Rondel's Miso and Caramelised White Chocolate Cake

Miso is an unusual ingredient that is more and more finding its way into sweet desserts for its slightly salty flavour.  I have miso in my fridge, so I am always eager to find recipes to use it up.  Accordingly, I jumped at the chance to make Jordan Rondel's miso and caramelised white chocolate cake. 

Jordan had sesame seeds in her cake as well, but contrary to what I thought, I did not have any in the house at the time, and as I had started making the cake, it was too late to procure them.  I don't think the cake suffered as a result.  The caramelised white chocolate is devine, and is offset nicely by the umami flavour of the miso.  The cake is topped with a tangy cream cheese icing.

If I have piqued your interest and you want to make this cake, you will need:

120g white chocolate chips
130g butter
150g brown sugar
4 tablespoons white miso paste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
150g plain flour
50g ground almonds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt

Icing 

150g butter
2 cups icing sugar
100g cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line a 22cm cake tin.

Place the white chocolate chips on a baking tray and bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in the fridge.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and miso paste.  Add the vanilla and then beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Gradually mix in the flour, almonds and baking powder.  Add the yoghurt and mix until just combined.  Fold in 100g of the caramelised white chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.  Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before unmoulding onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.  Add the icing sugar and the vanilla and beat until smooth.  Ice the top of the cake with the icing and decorate with the reserved 20g of caramelised white chocolate chips.