Summer Berry Drizzle Loaf Cake

Sometimes, an irresistible baking urge will creep over me, and I am left with no choice but to bake. However, this means overcoming an annoying (all be it probably practical) rule put in place by my Mother to prevent me baking every single day; I am not allowed to bake without an excuse.

An excuse soon cropped its head up though, in the form of six hungry men doing a days work on a farm together. My Dad was more than pleased when I offered to bake a cake for him to take along, so I went for something simple and portable.

This cake definitely isn't a visual stunner, but it gets 10/10 from me for taste. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

175g very soft butter 

175g golden caster sugar

250g self raising flour 

2 large eggs 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

175g mixed summer fruits, stoned (I used strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and a few cherries.) - I actually used closer to 275g and the cake turned out perfectly... 

140g granulated sugar 

1-2tsp lemon juice 

Method:

Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 fan). Grease a 900g loaf tin and line the base and ends with a long strip of baking parchment.

Put the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for 5 minutes until pale an creamy. The mixture will be very thick. 

Spread one third of the mix into the tin, then scatter over some of the fruit. Carefully dot and spread over another third of the mix, and scatter with some more fruit. Dot the rest of the mix over and gently spread with the bake of a spoon. You will have some fruit left but this will be used for the topping. Bake for 1 hour.

Remove the cake from the oven. Dot all over the top with a skewer. Put remaining fruit in a bowl with the granulated sugar and the lemon juice and mash/stir. Spoon over the cake. Leave in the tin until the cake is cool and the topping is set and crisp.

This is such a super simple summer bake that you really have no excuse not to bake it. Although I didn't get a chance to guzzle more than half a slice before my Dad whipped it away, I bet it would be beautiful with a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche.

Hazelnut Meringue Roulade.

I'm posting this delicious summery dessert in the hope that it will encourage the spring sunshine to actually emerge... I just can't wait for it to be strawberry/raspberry season again! 

Another recipe from Mary's "Baking Bible", which is becoming my actual bible all too quickly!

This recipe was a huge success and made the ideal summer dessert after a neighborly barbecue. (we can only pray for the weather to be nice enough this year for another opportunity to make this!)

140g shelled hazelnuts
4 large egg whites
250g caster sugar
A few drops of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
300ml whipping cream (for the filling)
225g raspberries (for the filling) - I used FAR more than this!
Icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (170 Fan). Lightly brush two 20cm sandwich tins with oil then line the base of each tin with baking parchment.

Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and put in the oven for about 10 minutes, then tip onto a clean tea towel and rub well together to remove the skins. Grind the nuts in a food processor.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add the sugar, a teaspoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition. Whisk until the mixture is very stiff, stands in peaks and all the sugar has been added. Whisk in the vanilla extract and vinegar then fold in the nuts. Divide the mixtures between the prepared tins and smooth the top with a palette knife.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, but no longer. The top of the meringue will be crisp and the inside soft and marshmallow like. Turn out of the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Whisk the cream until thick and use about two thirds to sandwich the meringues together along with about two thirds of the raspberries. Spread the remaining cream over the top, scatter with raspberries and dust with icing sugar.