Raspberry Almond Cream Cake

Welcome to a New Year and what better way to celebrate than with my Raspberry Almond Cream Cake.

This cake was made on December 31st 2015 and was taken to our very good friends, for their New Years Eve party.

It has been so long, too long, since I have been out of the house for anything other than a Doctors or Hospital appointment. We were invited to our friends, ages ago. Having missed out on other family gatherings, I really wanted to see the year out on a positive note.

Taking this Raspberry Almond Cream Cake, as a gift, to our friends house, was also a massive achievement. The cake looked festive, without being too Christmassy. I resisted the urge to sprinkle some edible glitter on the top. Setting the cake on a gold plate seemed beautiful enough.

The almond flavour in the moist sponge, pairs really well with gorgeous, plump, deep crimson raspberries. I tend to find frozen raspberries hold their flavour and shape and are excellent to keep on hand, in the deep freeze, for the winter months. On this occasion, fresh raspberries were available, but I would totally make this again with frozen fruit!

An extra layer of raspberry jam, brought additional flavour and made all the ingredients in this Raspberry Almond Cream Cake ‘sing’.

Usually when baking a layered cake I bake separate sponges, this time however, I baked one gorgeous, almond sponge and cut it in half. The result was an extra moist cake that kept people going back for another slice!!

If making this cake for only adults, I woud certainly have brushed the inside of the cut sponge with some Framboise (raspberry liquer), or alternatively added a splash of delicious almond liquer to the cream!

Here’s how to make this luscious cake!

Recipe: Makes 1 large 10″ Raspberry Almond Cream Cake serves 12

10oz/275g Unsalted Butter – at room temperature

10oz/275g Caster Sugar

8oz/225g Self Raising Flower

2oz/50g Ground Almonds

1/2tsp Baking Powder

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey 

1tsp Almond Extract

1/4tsp Salt

4 Large Free Range Eggs

2floz/50ml Whole Milk

3oz/75g Almond Flakes – very lightly toasted

2 packets Fresh or Defrosted Raspberries 14oz/400g

15floz/400ml Double Cream

3Tbsp Raspberry Jam

Method: Preheat oven to 175C/160C fan oven

Grease and line the base of a 10″ springform cake pan.

In a large bowl whisk the butter, sugar and salt together until pale and fluffy.

Add one third of the dry mix (flour, ground almonds and baking powder), 2 eggs, half the milk and the vanilla and almond extracts.

Mix until just combined.

Repeat the last step.

Finally add the last third of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Bake in the oven for approximately an hour. The cake is baked when it is golden brown and springs back when pressed lightly in the centre.

Once the cake is cooled, carefully slice the sponge in half.

Whip the double cream until it just holds a peak.

Sort through the raspberries and reserve 12 of the largest, plumpest fruits for the top of the cake.

Place the sponge, spread with jam, on top of the cream and raspberry filled sponge.

Keep the cake chilled, removing from the fridge 20 minutes before eating.

Invite round some friends, or alternatively take this cake to your friends house.

You are certain to be a very popular guest if you turn up with this Raspberry Almond Cream Cake!!

All food tastes better when it is shared, none so more than cake, in my humble opinion 😉.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy 2016. May your friendships grow closer over a cup of tea and slice of cake.

If you enjoyed this Raspberry Almond Cream Cake here are some other bakes that you can enjoy sharing –

Strawberries and Cream Cake

Victoria Sponge Cake

Chocolate Sparkle Cake

Sammie xx