Eggnog Cake with Fresh Currants

• 150g (4½oz) butter, chopped, softened slightly
• ¾ cup (165g) CSR Caster Sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 3 eggs, separated
• ¾ cup (110g) White Wings Self-Raising Flour
• ½ cup (60g) almond meal
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes, crumbled
• ¼ cup (60ml) buttermilk
• ¼ cup (60ml) dark rum
• ½ cup (60g) natural sliced almonds
• ½ cup (80g) fresh red currants
• 2 tbsp CSR Icing Sugar
• dark rum syrup
• 30g (1oz) butter
• 1 tbsp CSR Caster Sugar
• 2 tbsp dark rum
• 1 tablespoon water
• spiced swiss meringue buttercream
• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup (220g) CSR Caster Sugar
• 250g (8oz) cold butter, chopped
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
• ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves

Cake Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease a deep 15cm (6in) round cake pan; line base and side with baking paper.
2. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, until combined between additions.
3. Sift flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt into a bowl; add mixture left in sieve to bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, then add buttermilk and rum; beat on low speed until just combined.
4. Beat egg whites in a clean bowl with electric mixer until firm peaks form. Gently fold egg white into cake mixture in two batches. Spread mixture into pan.
5. Bake cake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave cake in pan 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.
6. Meanwhile, make dark rum syrup.
7. Trim top of cake to level. Split cake into three even layers. Brush tops of cake layers with dark rum syrup.
8. Make spiced swiss meringue buttercream.
9. Place one cake layer on a cake plate or stand; spread with ½ cup of the buttercream. Repeat layering with remaining cake layers and buttercream in ½-cup batches. Smooth top and side of cake using a palette knife. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
10. Spoon remaining buttercream into a piping bag; pipe two pear-shaped mounds on cake. Press almonds into buttercream to resemble pines cones. Decorate with currants and dust with sifted icing sugar.

Dark Rum Syrup Method: 

1. Place ingredients in a small heavy-based saucepan; stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; simmer for 1 minute. Cool slightly.

Spiced Swiss Meringue Buttercream Method: 

1. Place egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 70°C/158°F on a sugar thermometer.
2. Transfer egg white mixture to an electric mixer; whisk for 8 minutes or until firm peaks form. Whisk in butter, a piece at a time, until combined. Whisk in vanilla and spices.

Tip: Keep buttercream at room temperature before using so that it remains spreadable.