I needed an uncommon yellow fruit to complete a botanical illustration. I remembered starfruit from a trip to Hawaii but could not find any in the grocery store. So I had to order a small box from an on-line retailer. I only needed one for the drawing. What to do with the other ripe fruit? This recipe includes many of my favorite flavors and ingredients. Candied ginger compliments starfruit in more ways than one.
Gluten Free Starfruit Cake
Preheat over to 350.
In a large bowl add and mix together……..
1/4 cup hydrated (if need be) and coarsely chopped Golden Berries or substitute golden raisins.
1/4 coarsely chopped candied ginger
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 cup of blanched and coarsely chopped starfruit with “peel” on but seeds removed
1/2 cup of milk
Set the bowl aside
In a another bowl add…
1 cup of rice flower
1 cup of almond flour
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
1 pinch of cardamon powder
Sift your dry ingredients into the “wet” bowl. Mix lightly with a wooden spoon until everything is well combined.
Grease, flour (or use parchment paper) a larger springform cake pan. You can use any cake pan but since this is a dense moist cake I do not recommend a loaf pan.
Bake for 35-45 minutes. Let cool before removing. Decorate with powdered sugar or thinned royal icing.
Zingiber is the aromatic rootstock of a perennial plant that grows in the tropics. It is very common and easy to find in most grocery stores worldwide. It can be cultivated or found in the wild. The rootstock is thick, fibrous, and light tan colored. It grows in a finger like/branched formation. As it creeps the root can become quite large, often palm sized. Ginger produces a simple stem wrapped by layers of long, narrow, lance shaped, alternate arranged leaves. It can grow almost four feet high. As the green leaves mature and separate from the stem they can measure 6-12 inches long . Sterile yellow/white flowers with purple streaks grow on short dense spikes. You will often see images for “red ginger”confused with Zingiber officinale. They are not the same plant. Ginger likes partial shade and moist, fertile soil.
Ginger has a “heating action”. It stimulates digestion, perspiration, and breastmilk production. Historically this herb has been used internally to treat colic, gas, bloating, indigestion, nausea/morning sickness, suppressed menstruation, the flu, headache, sore throat, laryngitis, vertigo, blot clots, , colds, cough, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, poor circulation and heart disease. Many herbalists use it to reduce inflammation. Fresh ginger being preferred for respiratory conditions and dried ginger for digestive complaints. Externally this plant has been used to treat, pain, migraines, chills, muscle soreness, congestion, asthma, athletes foot, arthritic joints, and weak kidneys.
Energetics:pungent, sweet, bitter, warm, dry
Element:fire
Contraindications:ulcers, acid stomach, inflammatory/heat conditions. Anticoagulant drugs like Coumadin or aspirin. Although commonly used for morning sickness, use only very low doses in pregnancy. Do not use during childbirth, especially when there is a risk of heavy bleeding.
Blackbird's Backyard Pharmacy 