I have made this cake since the very beginning of Cook House, as it works well in any season. You can use a multitude of fruits or berries and it’s always good. It has notes of frangipane about it as it forms a buttery crust, but is light, moist and fruity in the middle. I just love it.
SERVES 8
• 150g salted butter, melted
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 225g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 150g punnet of fresh raspberries
EQUIPMENT
• 23-cm round cake tin
Alternatives
Chopped rhubarb; apples; pears; blackberries; cherries
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3 and line the tin with greaseproof paper.
Melt the butter in a pan, then leave to cool slightly. Mix the flour, baking powder and sugar together in a large bowl. Beat the eggs and the almond essence with a fork in another bowl.
Pour the butter and eggs into the dry mix, then beat everything together with a spatula. It will become quite a thick batter, but don’t worry as this is how it should be.
Transfer three-quarters of the cake batter to the cake tin and spread it out to the edges, then top it with a layer of raspberries. Add the remaining cake batter in a pile in the centre – it will spread out in the oven, so don’t worry. Bake for 50 minutes. It forms a lovely buttery crust but is soft and light in the centre with little pockets of fruit dotted around. Cool the cake in the tin for 30 minutes before removing.
This cake is delicious with a dollop of crème fraîche when it has cooled.