Velvet Tamarind (Awin) Tea Cakes

Funke Koleosho's Velvet Tamarind (Awin) Tea Cakes

If you are not familiar with Velvet Tamarind, then check out my previous post on this exciting, exotic fruit here. You will find everything (almost) that you need to know about this fruit including its nutritional data... Black Velvet Tamarind !

Velvet tamarind (awin or icheku as its called in local some Nigerian dialects) is such a special fruit. Most other fruits come with a lot of juice in them but the velvet tamarind comes as a powdery and dry pulp encased in a velvet like shell, hence its name... velvet tamarind. Its taste I can only describe as sweet, sour and fragrant.

Due to these unique properties the velvet tamarind has, I decided to use like dried fruits such as raisins and add to my cake. Adding velvet tamarind to my cake gave no significant dramatic difference in taste or appearance than when you add dried fruits to cake except that with the dried fruits, the texture is more profound. In the case of velvet tamarind, the pulp of the fruit melts/blends with the texture of the cake and blindfolded you would not really notice the presence of the of the fruit until its subtle tangy sweet taste is felt on the tongue.....oh so exciting. Again this is one of those recipes that you have to try to appreciate.

Velvet tamarind is great to eat on its own but discover new tastes and flavours when combined with other food ingredients. Check out all my recipes which include the use of velvet tamarind below:

1.  Black Velvet Tamarind Compote
2.  Velvet Tamarind Blush Cocktail
3.  Golden (Yellow) Ogi

Velvet Tamarind Tea Cakes

I am of the opinion that, in order not to miss out on the wonderful nutritional benefits of this uncommon fruit, incorporate them into your cooking! So try baking some velvet tamarind in your tea cakes...and discover something different and new....If you have a perfect cake recipe, you can use it and just add the fruit, if not follow mine below:


What you need

• 1-2 handful of shelled and de-seeded Velvet tamarind pulp
• 175g Plain Flour (sift to aerate) 
• 120g of Caster sugar 
• 175g of Unsalted butter 
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder 
• 2 table spoons lime juice
• 2 table spoons of fresh milk or evaporated milk 
• 3 medium size eggs 

What to do

1. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 
2. Mix butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until fluffy. 
3. Whisk the eggs and add to the mixture. Mix well. 
4. Mix the baking powder into the flour and gently add to the mixture. 
5. Mix batter well with a wooden spoon. Add the lime juice then add milk to adjust the consistency of the batter. The batter should be drop easily when lifted with a spoon. Now add the de-seeded velvet tamarind pulp and fold into the batter. 
6. Transfer batter into fairy cake cups and bake for about 15 minutes or until cake is cooked through. Use the toothpick test to check when the cake is cooked. The tooth pick must come out clean when pierced into the cake.

Velvet Tamarind Tea Cakes