Almond and Orange Cake with Orange Frosting

DESCRIPTION

This creamy almond and orange cake offers a summery twist on the traditional victoria sponge, making the perfect addition to your afternoon tea. With delicious orange frosting using Trewithen Dairy rich Cornish Clotted Cream, this showstopper tastes as good as it looks.

Serves 8-10

Prep and cook time: 50mins

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

400g Trewithen Dairy Unsalted Butter (at room temp, soft)
400g Caster Sugar
7 Medium Eggs (total weight 400g)
300g Ground Almonds
100g Self Raising Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
2 Oranges (zested and the juice of on)
1 Tsp Almond Extract

For the frosting

350g Full Fat Cream Cheese
140g Icing Sugar
200mls Double Cream
150g Trewithen Dairy Cornish Clotted Cream
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
2 Oranges (zested)

Toppings

400g Fresh Raspberries

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160c fan

  1. Grease and line x3 20cm deep cake tins.
  2. Cream together the butter and sugar until soft and pale for roughly 2 mins using an electric mixer.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
  4. Gently fold the ground almonds, flour and baking powder into the mix with a pinch of salt .
  5. Stir in the orange zest and juice along with the almond essence through the cake mix.
  6. Divide the mix between the x3 cake tins and place in the oven to bake for 35 mins.
  7. Check the cake is cooked by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the centre. If it is clean when removed, the cake is cooked. If it’s a little sticky, pop it back in the oven for another couple of minutes. Remove the cake tins and allow to rest for 5 mins before removing from the tins onto a cooling rack .
  8. Whilst the cakes are cooling you can make the frosting. Using an electric mixer, place the cream and cream cheese into a bowl and mix together. Add the icing sugar, orange zest, a pinch of salt and vanilla extract. Mix together again until you get a nice thick frosting. Place in the fridge until ready to ice the cake.
  9. Once the cake is cooled, take the first sponge and place onto a plate or cake stand.
  10. Spoon some of the icing onto the cake and spread evenly. Take some fresh raspberries and dot them on the icing. Place the next cake on top and repeat. Place the final cake on top and, using the remaining icing, cover the cake sides and top. I like to do a naked look around the sides with a fuller top.
  11. Decorate with the remaining raspberries and edible flowers then serve.

This cake will keep in the fridge for a couple of days but is best eaten on the day of baking.

Tip: if you want to get ahead you can make the sponges in advance and freeze them until needed. That way you only have to make the icing on the day and assemble.

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