Sisters Kārena and Kasey Bird, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manawa, hailing from Maketū in the Bay of Plenty, rose to fame after winning MasterChef New Zealand in 2014. They have since authored award-winning cookbooks and hosted the television series Kārena and Kasey's Kitchen Diplomacy, showcasing their commitment to sharing Māori cuisine and culture with the world.
Sisters Kārena and Kasey Bird, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manawa, hailing from Maketū in the Bay of Plenty, rose to fame after winning MasterChef New Zealand in 2014. They have since authored award-winning cookbooks and hosted the television series Kārena and Kasey's Kitchen Diplomacy, showcasing their commitment to sharing Māori cuisine and culture with the world.
KEKE KŪMARA KĀRAMERA
Kūmara Caramel Cake
Tupuānuku is about what goes into the soil, what we grow, and what we feed our people — not just with kai, but with our time, our energy, and our values.
We chose this dish because kūmara has always been part of our lives. It’s something our whānau has cooked with for generations. We grew up eating it in boil ups, roasted with meat, mashed up for babies — it’s always been on the table. So making a kūmara cake felt like a way to honour that, but give it a twist. Something sweet and nostalgic, but still new. The kawakawa butterscotch adds that extra layer of meaning. We love using native ingredients, not just because they taste good — but because they carry our stories. For us, Matāriki is a moment to pause and ask: what are we letting go of? and what are we nurturing? What do we want to carry forward? Taonga that can be passed on to the generations to come.
— Kārena & Kasey
Cook time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:
1½ cups cooked mashed orange
kūmara (about 2 small-medium)
½ cup runny honey
½ cup soft brown sugar
½ cup neutral oil or melted
butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
1½ cups plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
zest of one large orange
Method:
Preheat oven: 170°C (fan bake). Grease your cast iron skillet well with butter or oil.
In a large bowl, whisk mashed kūmara, honey, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
Add flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and orange zest. Fold gently until just combined.
Pour batter into the skillet and smooth the top. Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden, puffed, and a skewer comes out clean.
Let it rest for 10–15 minutes — it’ll continue to settle and get gooier at the edges (in a good way).
Kawakawa Butterscotch Sauce:
100g butter
¾ cup soft brown sugar
½ cup cream
½ tsp salt
6–8 kawakawa leaves, torn
½ tsp vanilla
In a pot, melt butter and brown sugar together until bubbling and darkened slightly (2–3 mins). Stir constantly.
Carefully whisk in the cream then once it is all combined add in the kawakawa. Let it bubble for another 1–2 mins until silky.
Finish with salt and vanilla/whisky.
Let cool slightly before pouring over cake. Serve the cake warm with the sauce and ice cream.
