BERRY & LIME BABY CAKES

These individual cakes are delicious served warm or cold with a dollop of cream or yoghurt.

320g butter, softened

12/3 cups caster sugar

3 limes, finely grated zest

4 eggs

2¼ cups plain flour

½ cup ground almonds

1 cup each: fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries or chopped strawberries (3 cups total) ½ cup long-thread coconut

Lime syrup:

1 cup caster sugar ¼ cup water

3 limes, juiced

Heat oven to 170C. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in lime zest then add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.

Sift over flour and add ground almonds. Fold gently into creamed mixture.

Divide mixture between 12 half-cup capacity baking cases; do not fill much more than halfway. Arrange berries and coconut over cake mixture.

Bake 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

While cakes are baking, make syrup. Place sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add lime juice, mixing well. Allow syrup to cool.

When cakes are removed from oven and still hot, baste with syrup. Cooled cakes will keep for up to a week in an airtight container. Makes 12