This tender buttery cake takes inspiration on Ottolenghi's blueberry and lemon cake. In mine, the tartness of the raspberries pair with the sweetness of the cake and the creamy icing has a subtle note of rose water adding a botanical edge to the mix.
Sweetened mascarpone (with maple syrup, honey or sugar) makes the prettiest and quickest icing for cakes and cupcakes equally.
Ingredients:
150 gr butter, at room temperature
190 gr sugar
1 lemon, the zest finaley grated and 1 tbsp of juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
100 gr self-rising flour
100 gr ground almonds
150 gr fresh or frozen raspberries
For icing:
100 gr mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp maple syrup or to taste
1 tsp rose water
Freeze dry raspberries and rose petal to decorate
Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a loaf tin 11cm x 21cm. Set aside.
2 Place the butter, sugar, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and vanilla in the bowl of a free-standing food mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one by one, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing until well combined. Add the flour and almonds in spoonfuls. Finally, fold in raspberries, by hand, and pour into the prepared loaf tin.
3 Bake for 45-50 minutes. Test inserting a knife into the middle; it’s ready if it comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
For icing:
Mix mascarpone with maple syrup and rose water. Taste adding more maple syrup if desired; my personal preference is to go less sweet with the icing to balance the general sweetness.
Spread over the cake in a decorative way using a flat spatula and sprinkle freeze dry raspberries and rose petals (non sprayed) on top.