Ground Almond Cake with Peach and Raspberry Recipe

This ground almond cake is light and moist, with all the flavours of summer. Using ground almonds adds a nutty flavour and interesting texture to the cake, and the whipped cream and fruit filling give the cake a fresh and light feel. The texture of this ground almond cake is a bit like a classic madeira cake, slightly dense and moist with a satisfying crumbly feel. We’ve used summer fruits to top the cake, but you could adapt this to use whatever fruit is in season.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 160g crème fraiche
• 1tsp almond extract
• 165g self-raising flour
• 35g ground almonds
• 200g caster sugar
• ½tsp each baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
• 175g unsalted butter, softened

For the filling and topping:

• 350g raspberries
• 2 peaches
• 250ml double cream

You will need:

• 2 x 20cm sandwich tins, base and sides lined

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Mix the eggs with half the crème fraiche and the almond extract. Mix together the dry ingredients well, then add the butter and remaining cream. Mix together well with an electric hand whisk. Gradually add the egg mixture beating well after each addition. Divide between the tins and bake for 35-45 mins, leave in the tin for 10 mins before cooling on a wire rack.
2. For the filling, crush 100g raspberries with a fork. Take half a peach and cut into small cubes. Very lightly whip the cream (the acidity from the raspberries will make it stiffen further) and swirl through the fruit. Fill the bottom layer with the cream then top the cake with the other layer. Slice the remaining peaches, arrange them around the top of the cake, fill with the remaining raspberries and dust with icing sugar.