This cake is from https://www.bakefromscratch.com/berry-frangipane-cake/ and I only wish I had the lucky gene to come up with this delicious cake. The cake is super-soft and moist, with the heavenly taste of almonds, studded with tart berries and topped with crunchy almond slivers. Did I mention the gorgeous sunny yellow colour!
If compiling a list of tea cakes, this would be top of the list. Mind you, it would be also be high on a dessert list. It is that good!
There are a few stages to the cake – not difficult stages but such deliciousness sometimes requires some effort. There is a cake batter and a frangipane mix to be made. The the two mixtures have to be layered and eventually topped with berries and almonds.
Any berries can be used – both fresh and frozen. If using frozen berries, they need to be thawed first, then drained of any excess liquid and lightly patted with paper towel to take away any sogginess.
Ingredients
FRANGIPANE
- 150 g softened butter
- 144 g almond flour (finely-ground almonds
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 31 g cake flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp almond extract
CAKE BATTER
- 113 g softened butter
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 1 large room temperature egg
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 125 g cake flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 c full fat milk
- 1/2 c berries – if using frozen, then thaw, drain and pat dry
- 2 TBS flaked almonds
- Icing sugar to dust (optional)
PREPARE FRANGIPANE
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add butter and using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix till smooth and creamy.
- Add the rest of the frangipani ingredients and using the spatula or wooden spoon, mix till well combined and creamy.
- Cover and set aside
PREPARE CAKE BATTER
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius.
- Grease and line the base and sides of a 20 cm round loose-bottomed baking pan.
- In a small mixing bowl add flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand-held electric beater, beat butter for 3 minutes till smooth, pale and creamy. Scrape sides of the bowl.
- Add egg and extracts and beat to combine.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk, starting and finishing with the flour mixture.
- Lightly mix all ingredients to combine, making sure to scape ingredients from the sides of the bowl.
Assembling cake
- Measure out a cup of cake batter and add to cake pan. Using a spatula, evenly spread mixture.
- Measure out a cup of the frangipane mix and with the rest of the cake batter, dollop tablespoon scoops onto cake in pan.
- Use a spatula or butter knife and lightly swirl the frangipane and cake batter dollops.
- Spoon remaining frangipani into a piping bag and cut out a small opening the size of a blueberry.
- Lightly pipe frangipane into and onto the swirled frangipani and cake batter in the pan. If you are not in possession of a piping bag, use a small teaspoon and lightly dollop the frangipani, pressing some of the dollops lightly into the mixture. Using a spatula, spread dolloped/piped frangipani evenly.
- Gently press berries into batter, evenly distributing them.
- Scatter slivered almonds over batter.
- Bake at 170 degrees celsius for 50 – 55 minutes till golden brown and the cake is coming away from the sides. If browning too quickly, lightly cover the pan with foil.
