Fruit Cake with Lemon and Almonds

This is a cake recipe I use very often because I just love the cake’s moist (and slightly sandy) texture, lemony smell and sizzling flavour. You can use any fruit you like for the top; I tried it until now with blueberries, raspberries, apricots, cherries – and the last time with blackberries.

If you ask me, the cake needs some fruit that’s slightly sour, but go ahead, try the recipe with any fruit of your choice and form your own opinion.

Here comes the recipe for a 20 x 25 cm square tin:

Ingredients

• 75 grams of blanched almonds 
• 75 grams of icing sugar 
• 125 grams flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 150 grams of butter 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• zest and juice of 1 (small) lemon 
• 2 eggs 
• plenty of fruits of your choice 

Method

First, melt the butter on a low heat and leave to cool slightly.

Finely ground the almonds and icing sugar in a food processor until very fine (pulse for approx. 1 minute). The sugar prevents the almonds from turning into mousse.

Mix the ground almonds with flour and baking powder.

Add vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest to the melted butter and mix well. Now pour the butter-mixture into the flour-mixture and stir until it comes together. Add the eggs, one at a time, and stir until everything is well combined.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (hot air oven / convection oven works best!).

Line your tin with parchment paper and pour the cake mixture into it. Spread it evenly by shaking the tin back and forth.

Now sprinkle LOTS of your favourite fruits all over the cake mixture.

Bake the cake for 30 minutes, until slightly golden on top. Don’t bake too long or else it will become dry.

Remove from the oven and let it sit for some time. Cut it into squares and serve with some icing sugar dusted on top.

Recipe is inspired by Caroline Bretherton's Allotment Cookbook through the year.