Summer Cake

If speed of consumption is any indication, then this cake is a favourite – it disappeared in 5 minutes flat at the potluck I brought it to this afternoon.  And I can see why (although I didn’t get to try it) – a light almond cake with apricots and raspberries; how could that not be good? Perfect served still warm from the oven, and might even be nice with a little vanilla ice cream.
I found the recipe on lottieanddoof, and the original recipe comes from Ripe by Nigel Slater, which I am now going to have to get my hands on.

What you need:

• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 & 1/3 cup self-rising flour (see below for a method if you don’t have any)
• 1 scant cup ground almonds (almond meal)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 or 5 ripe apricots (2 peaches might be nice too)
• 1 to 1 & 1/2 cups  raspberries

If you have no self-raising flour you could do this, which is what I did, with success:

• measure 1 & 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour and take out 2 & 1/2 teaspoons
• add 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• add 1/2 teaspoon salt

What you do:

1. Line a 8-inch/20 cm springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
3. Halve and seed the apricots and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
4. Cream the butter, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.
6. Combine the flour and ground almonds, then add 1/3 of it to the batter, mixing until just about combined, and do this twice more with the rest of the flour/almonds.  Add the milk and mix briefly, just until combined.
7. Gently fold in the fruit.  I folded in the apricots and put the raspberries on top, but I think it might look prettier if there are raspberries mixed in.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top down a little.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick – if any batter sticks to it, put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
9. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edge before removing the ring.  Stand back and watch it disappear.  This one is probably best the day it is baked.