February 21st, 2012

Raspberry and walnut cake – with brilliantly crunchy cacao nibs

This is one of the many cakes I bake using this simple base. The raspberry is lovely and tart and the cacao nibs (coarsely ground cocoa beans) are a raw, natural version of chocolate chips which are brilliantly crunchy and not at all sweet. In our home this cake is often eaten for breakfast and never lasts longer than a day.

For where to buy see bottom of post.

You will need…

180g butter, cubed
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 cups ground almonds*
1 cup white spelt flour
3 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup cacao nibs
A small handful of sunflower and pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup milk

300g frozen raspberries

How to make…

Pre-heat oven to 180°C

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until white and fluffy.

Then, slowly – one at a time, beat in the eggs, beating well after each egg. If you add them all at once or too quickly the mixture will curdle.

In a separate bowl mix together the flours and the baking powder with a wooden fork.
Add in the walnuts, cacao nibs and seeds and mix until combined.

Add the flour mix to the butter mix, and add the milk.
Gently fold together with a spatula.

Pour into a lined cake tin (I use the amazing cake tin liners from Lakeland) and cover with a single layer of frozen raspberries.

Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown and firm. If the cake is still wobbly in the middle it’s not done!
Test for readiness by inserting a skewer or knife into the cake. If it comes out with only a few grains of ground almonds it’s ready. This cake is better a bit undercooked than overcooked.

This cake is rather good warm.

Where to buy…

Vanilla extract – Steenbergs
Ground almonds – Goodness Direct (I buy 3kg at a time)
White spelt flour – Doves Farm
Frozen raspberries – Natural Cool at Goodness Direct
Cacao nibs – Naturya at Planet Organic
Free range organic eggs – Abel & Cole

* Sometimes called almond meal. You can buy ground almonds or you can make your own by whizzing them in a blender or food processor until fine.

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February 20th, 2012

Lauriston Road shops, Victoria Park, London E9

Lauriston Road shops are lovely to visit on a Saturday morning. We popped into Amandine for coffee and soup before our little tour of the lovely local shops.

Of course The Ginger Pig is here – a patient queue out the door. Bill Hall green grocer was indeed green (bright green), also very busy. The fishmonger – Jonathan Norris was also busy and full of wonderful fresh fish. It began to rain and the children were tired and ratty so off we went back home looking forward to our next visit to one of our favourite places to shop in London.