Bakewell raspberry & blueberry cake

         

I don't seem to have much luck with desserts offered in most restaurants I go to. I start off excited about what's on the menu and end up ... well, sad and feeling slightly cheated. The tarts are usually too dry, creme caramel too dense and everything is drenched in cream and ice cream. I must be going to the wrong restaurants, so if you can recommend a place with nice desserts that won't break the bank please let me know! I'm getting desperate! 

Disappointed with the dessert I had recently I made a bakewell cake with raspberries and blueberries to satisfy my sweet tooth. This is a slight adaptation of a recipe I found on BBC Good Food - I used frozen raspberries and blueberries, but I can imagine it will work with other fruit as well: think peaches, pears and good ol' apples.

Really easy to make, this bakewell cake is soft, moist and not overly sweet. It doesn't look like much, but it's truly delicious.

To make it, you'll need:

140 g self raising flour

140 g butter, softened

140 g golden caster sugar

140 g ground almonds

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

250 g raspberries and blueberries (fresh or frozen)

a handful of flaked almonds

icing sugar

Line the bottom of a loose bottomed tin with greaseproof paper and grease the sides. The recipe recommends using a 20cm tin - I used my trusty tin of unknown diameter which worked ok. Preheat the oven to 180 C/160 C fan.

Start off by putting cubed butter into a food processor. Add sugar, flour, almonds, eggs and vanilla extract. Put the lid on and blitz until all ingredients are combined. That's the hard bit done. 

Now take half of the mix and press into the bottom of the tin using a spatula. Scatter raspberries and blueberries on top and spread evenly. 

Now a slightly tricky bit. Spoon the rest of the cake mix on top of the fruit and gently spread until all fruit is covered. 

Sprinkle with almonds and pop into the oven for 50 minutes until golden. I highly recommend checking it after 35 minutes to make sure it doesn't get too brown. 

Cool in the tin, then dust with icing sugar and eat on its own, with a blob of creme fraiche or greek yoghurt mixed with honey.