Almond & raspberry layer cake
Layers of almond-flavoured sponge topped with raspberry jam and buttercream – this cake has a real wow factor but is deceptively easy to make.
Just make sure you allow time for the cakes to completely cool before you slice them, and don’t be too generous with the buttercream layers as you want to balance the textures and flavours throughout.
A bake for sharing with your loved ones.
FOR THE CAKES
250g butter
250g golden caster sugar 5 eggs
½ teaspoon almond
extract
175g self-raising flour
75g ground almonds
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
300g butter
600g icing sugar
1½ teaspoon almond
extract
FOR THE DECORATION
40g flaked almonds 150g raspberries
FOR THE FILLING
250g raspberry jam
1 Preheat the oven to fan 160°C fan. Grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment.
2 Cream the butter and golden caster sugar with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, stir in the almond extract then fold in the flour and ground almonds.
3 Divide the mixture between the two tins, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a skewer comes out of the cake clean. Take the sponges out of the oven and leave in the tins for five minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, cut each cake into two evenly sliced layers.
Make the buttercream
4 In a large bowl, cream the butter on its own with an electric hand whisk for about five minutes until smooth. Add the icing sugar 200g at a time, whisking together between each addition. Finally, add in the almond extract and beat again until completely smooth. Decoration 5 Spread a layer of the raspberry jam on the first of the four sponges and top with a layer of buttercream, place the second layer on top and repeat – same with the third layer. Once you’ve topped the fourth layer, spread the buttercream around the sides and top of the cake.
6 Press the flaked almonds onto the buttercream on the sides of the cake and top the cake with the fresh raspberries. Enjoy!