Stinging Nettle Moss Cake

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cups Butter

2. 1 1/2 cups Sugar

3. 6 Eggs

4. 2 tsp. Vanilla

5. 4 Tbs. Lemon Juice

6. Zest from 2 Lemons

7. 2 cups Stinging Nettle purée

8. 4 cups Flour

9. 4 tsps. Baking Soda

10. 1/2 tsp. Salt ( use if your butter has no salt)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F and prepare 2 (9 inch) cake pans and 1 8in square pan by lightly greasing and dusting with flour. Cut out circles of parchment paper for the pans and grease as well

2. Nettle purée: wearing gloves pick the leaves off the stems. (brown grocery bag of nettles) should be enough!

3. Place leaves in boiling water 2 min. strain, then place in ice bath till cool

4. Use a blender to make a smooth paste add water if needed for smooth consistency

5. If Easter comes to early in WISCONSIN then I have to use spinach Take the raw spinach and purée with 1-2 tbs water

6. In a large bowl cream the butter and the sugar for several minutes, add eggs 1 at a time beating well. Mix in vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Now add the nettle purée

7. Add dry ingredients: sifted flour, baking powder and salt (if not in butter)

8. I fill the 9 inch pans 2/3 full. Then the rest is in 8 in square pan

9. Baking at the lower temperature helps keep nettles green. And with the lemons it’s an amazing flavor.

10. Bake until toothpick comes out clean. Check after 25 min. Depending on your oven.

Frosting

1. 1/2 c Chèvre goat cheese

2. 1/2 c soft butter

3. 4-5 cups powdered sugar

4. 1 tbs lemon juice more if needed for consistency

5. Cream the butter and chèvre and sugar then lemon juice for consistency

To assemble the Moss cake

1. Have cooled cake in freezer, makes it much easier to frost. If your cake tops are raised you can cut them off to make a flat top. Then use this cut off part for Moss

2. Places strips of waxed paper around the bottom of the cake plate ( you need it there when applying the Moss)

3. Frost bottom cake and add next layer, frost sides.

4. Have the 8 in cake crumbled up. Use hands or food processor to make crumbs.

5. Place all around the cake top and sides.

6. Have fun now decorating it as a theme cake. Easter , fairy garden etc