Smoked Salmon and Dill Cake

I haven't posted for a while, because we went back to Hungary to spend the festive season with our families. Ohhh all the lost weight come back in no time because I couldn't resist all the fabulous food. But by the end of my stay I managed to fulfil my 6 months desire: purchased my new "toy", the Zila cake mould, while staying in Budapest. Sadly it is quite expensive in the home kitchen environment (as this product originally designed for professional kitchens and caterers), but I rather pay more, than get some cheap, poor quality product. 

Smoked Salmon and Dill Cake

Ingredients for the cake

350 g plain flour
1 1/4 tbsp baking powder
8 tbsp sunflower oil or 100 g butter, melted and cooled
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
300 ml butter milk 
150 g smoked salmon finely chopped, plus extra to garnish/150 g salmon, pan fried and seasoned with a pinch of salt
2.5 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus extra springs to garnish

Ingredients for the filling
300 g soft cheese/cream cheese
20 g chive, chopped to small pieces
100 g soured cream
freshly ground back pepper
100 g smoked salmon finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice

tomato and cucumber to decorate

First prepare the filling so the mixture can absorb all the lovely smokiness and intensify the taste with time. Just mix together the soft cheese, soured cream, chopped chive and smoked salmon. When finished add the lemon juice and pepper to taste and mix well again. Add some more soured cream if you find the mixture stiff, but it should be just right. Cover it with cling film and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200C and spray the tin with a vegetable oil based separating agent.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper to taste into a large bowl.

Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat lightly, then beat in the buttermilk and oil. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the beaten liquid ingredients and add the smoked salmon and chopped dill. I actually used salmon fillet and pan fried it, otherwise it would be really expensive. Stir gently until just combined: don't over-mix  Spoon the mixture into the tin and spread evenly to be layered.

Bake in the prepared oven for 20 minutes, or until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn it upside down and remove the silicone cover  and the steel ring

.

 When it is cooled all you have to do is place the filling in a piping bag that has a big star nozzle. You need a special big nozzle otherwise the salmon pieces could block the piping bag. Pipe the filling into the cavities, it is just enough to fill all 12 of them. 

 Decorate with tomatoes, cucumber and some dill.............or whatever you find pretty. In the end I served with some balsamic glaze and mixed salad with olive oil on top....It was delicious. There were 4 of us and we still left two pieces untouched. So I managed to create something delicious, filling and pretty in 40 minutes.......the prefect party food.

 I apologise as not the best pictures in the end, but the guests were waiting for me to join them, so I just rushed it all and the sharpness is on the salad leafs.......