Raspberry simnel cake

SERVES 10

Ingredients

500g ready-made marzipan

150g raspberries, plus 11 for the top (about 50g)

200g self-raising flour, plus 1 tbsp

175g butter

175g caster sugar

3 medium eggs, plus an egg yolk, beaten

50g ground almonds

150g sultanas

1 egg white, lightly beaten to loosen

Method

■ line a 20cm loose-bottomed baking tin with parchment. roll out a third of the marzipan to a 20cm circle. Wrap the remainder and any offcuts and set aside.

■ preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/gas mark 3. Toss the 150g raspberries in the extra tablespoon of flour and set aside.

■ beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then gradually whisk in the three whole eggs and single yolk. if the mixture begins to curdle, add a tablespoon of flour and mix in.

■ sift the flour over the mix and fold in gently until smooth. Fold in the ground almonds, sultanas and floured raspberries.

■ scrape half of the cake mixture into the tin and carefully lay the marzipan round on top.

■ Add the remaining mixture, level the top and bake for about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, until it’s golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

■ roll out half of the remaining marzipan into a circle. place on top of the cooled cake.

■ shape 11 balls from the leftover marzipan and arrange in a circle on top. preheat the grill to medium.

■ brush all over with the egg white. place the cake under the grill or use a blow torch to brown gently. remove from the grill, leave to cool. decorate with the fresh raspberries.