Palace of varieties

Former Royal chef Carolyn Robb has written Tea at the Palace: 50 Delicious Recipes for Afternoon Tea – the perfect recipes to celebrate the Jubilee. Photographs by John Kernick.

• 1 tablespoon syrup from stem ginger

For the glaze:

• 125g icing sugar

• 60ml fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon water

• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

For the decoration:

• Edible small fresh flowers

• Icing sugar, for dusting

METHOD

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 180C (Gas mark 4). Line 12 8 x 4.5-cm mini loaf tins with non-stick baking paper.

Place the tins on a large baking tray. In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together the butter and caster sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture begins to curdle, whisk in a few spoons of the flour. Add the ground nuts, (remaining) flour, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum and, using a rubber spatula, fold them in just until fully incorporated. Finally, stir in the buttermilk, vanilla, grated ginger and ginger syrup until well blended.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared tins. Bake the loaves for 15-18 minutes until they are golden on top and spring back to the touch.

Leave to cool in the tins on a wire rack for a few minutes, then turn them out onto the rack and turn right side up. Set the rack over a baking tray.

While the loaves are baking, make the glaze. In a small pan over medium heat, combine the icing sugar, lemon juice and water and heat, stirring, until a smooth, quite runny, translucent icing forms. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. While the loaves are still warm, brush the glaze on the top and sides of each loaf, then leave to cool completely. Just before serving, top each loaf with flowers and a very light dusting of icing sugar.

■ Tea at the Palace by Carolyn Robb, £14.99, White Lion Publishing.