Lemon And Raspberry Swirl Loaf Cake

This lemon and raspberry swirl cake is perfect for a summer picnic (if summer ever actually appears!). It's really easy to make, and you can substitute the raspberry for blueberry. I've done both versions and it's delicious. This cake is also suitable for freezing.

Ingredients
175 g (6 oz) Butter, softened
175 g (6 oz) Caster Sugar 
3 Eggs 
200 g (7 oz) Self-Raising Flour 
25 g (1 oz) Ground Almonds
Grated Zest of 1 Unwaxed Lemon
100g Rapsberries (fresh, tinned or frozen) 
3 tbsp Raspberry Jam

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan oven 160°C), gas mark 4.

Line a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin or a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin with non-stick baking parchment.

Place all the ingredients except the raspberries and jam into a mixing bowl and using a hand-held mixer  or spoon, blend the ingredients together until smooth.

Gently fold the raspberries into the mixture.

Spoon into the prepared tin and level with the back of a spoon. Place the raspberry jam into a piping bag and snip off the end. Pipe swirls of jam on the top of the cake. Bake on the centre shelf in the preheated oven for about 40–50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean from the centre.

Chocolate Berry Cake

It's a while since I posted. Not that I haven't been baking; just that I haven't seemed to have the time to sit down and write an entry. I have been asked for the recipe for this cake by a few folk though, so it made sense to record it here.

This is a triple layer sponge cake with a creamy butter icing. I chose to use raspberries, but you can substitute these for any type of fruit. I made it for a friend for Christmas as an alternative to the traditional fruit cake. This is a much lighter sponge, and the vanilla icing and raspberry jam filling mean that it won't be too rich.

Ingredients:

For the sponges:
3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
4 1/2 Tablespoons Boiling Water
337g Soft Margarine
337g Caster Sugar
6 Eggs
337g Self Raising Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
110g Raspberries 

For the buttercream and filling:
Raspberry Jam 
400g Icing Sugar 
240g Butter (room temperature)
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Essence
4 Tablesoons Milk

Method:

Grease and line three 8 inch (20cm) sandwich tins and preheat the oven to 180 degrees (160 for a fan oven)/Gas Mark 4. 

Blend the cocoa powder and hot water into a smooth chocolate paste in a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. Next, add all the remaining ingredients (except the raspberries)to this paste and mix well until smooth and blended. Divide the mixture into three equal portions.

To one of the portions, add the raspberries and gently fold in. Then transfer each batch of batter to a tin and bake for about 25 minutes. The tops of the sponges should boune back when gently pressed, and a cake tester or knife should come out clean (there may be some raspberry juice in the sponge containing the fruit). 

Leave to cool in the tins for about five minutes before turning out. Carefully remove the greaseproof paper from the bottoms of the cakes and elave to cool completely. 

To make the buttercream, chop the butter into small pieces and mix til creamy. Gradually stir in the icing sugar and then add the vanilla essence and milk. Beat for five minutes to reach a creamy, fluffy consistency.

Take one of the plain chocolate sponges and spread a generous layer of raspberry jam on the top. Place the chocolate and raspberry sponge on top of this, and then spread a layer of jam on this sponge. Finally, place the second chocolate sponge on top to create your three layers. Using a palette knife or spatula, spread the buttercream on the top and sides of the cake. 

You can then decorate the top of the cake as you wish; pretty chocolate shapes go well and I chose popping candy milk chocolate crackers.