Recipe: Raspberry, almond and rosemary cake
PUBLISHED: 12:29 14 April 2020

Richard Hughes' moist rasperry frangipane cake (photo: Steve Adams)
Steve Adams 2020 07398 238853
Richard Hughes’ raspberry, almond and rosemary cake is a reminder that you can keep things simple and delicious
This month’s recipe is a cake that’s simply delicious. It’s become a classic in our house, ideal as a mid-day treat, for an Easter high tea, used as a dessert with a small glass of Vin Santo or, on occasion, you can get away with a slice for breakfast, as long as you have a helping of thick natural yoghurt!
Its also a nod that spring is well and truly on the way and, if you’ve had to cancel your much-anticipated holiday, this is a tasteful tribute to the Italians.
The traditional Simnel cake, a confection that’s an edible reminder of the eleven apostles, (excluding the treacherous Judas of course), is eaten on Mothering Sunday and at Easter.
It’s an almond marzipan and fruit cake combination. This sponge has those flavours, and it’s much, much quicker to make.
The British baking phenomenon shows no sign of abating, with creations getting ever more extravagant, ever more challenging both in technique and flavour, so this is something of an antidote to these complicated recipes and a culinary reminder to keep things simple.
In fact I prefer this cake with a simple cup of tea – there are few more pleasurable combinations!
Richard Hughes is chef director at The Assembly House, Norwich, the location for his award-winning cookery school
richardhughescookeryschool.co.uk | assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk
Ingredients
250g butter
200g ground almonds
50g plain flour
4 eggs
2 level teaspoon baking powder
Zest of a lemon
Sprig of fresh rosemary
200g fresh raspberries
For the Cointreau cream
125ml double cream
25g icing sugar
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10ml Cointreau
Zest of an orange
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C, 160C fan
Makes 1 x 8” shallow cake tin
1. Place the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl
2. Cream them together until soft and white
3. Add 100g of the ground almonds
4. Add the eggs. Mix well
5. Add the remaining ground almonds and the baking powder and the flour
6. Wash the rosemary and chop
7. Add to the cake mix
8. Grate in the zest of a lemon
9. Mix all the ingredients together
10. Place the raspberries in the bottom of a lightly greased 8’’ loose bottomed cake tin
11. Spoon over the cake mixture. Smooth over to level the top.
12. Tap the base on the worktop to make sure the mixture has settled. Place in a preheated oven at 180C, 160C fan, for approx 40 minutes.
13. Pour the double cream into a mixing bowl and add icing sugar
14. Whisk until thickened
15. Add the Cointreau
16. Grate in the zest of an orange
17. Stir together. Meanwhile, to see if the cake is cooked, insert a small knife into the centre. If it’s clean on withdrawal, remove the cake from the oven. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before inverting, serving with the raspberries on the top