Here’s a very attractive eye-catching cake that’s ideal for a special tea time treat or a party. It’s quite light with a lovely combination of flavours.

Makes: 10 – 12 slices (or chunks)

Time: Cake prep – about 40 minutes; baking 40 – 45 minutes; Topping – about 30 minutes.

Level: Moderately easy

Need: A ring cake tin (approx.1.5 litre/2¾ pint), an electric hand mixer

Cake ingredients

Some melted butter for greasing
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g/6oz plain white flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
175g/6oz white or golden caster sugar
70g/2½oz ground almonds
175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened
Around 50g/2oz chopped nuts or flaked almonds
Around 50g/2oz dark chocolate – small pieces
1 – 2 tbsp milk – to loosen the mixture if necessary

Topping ingredients

50g/2oz white chocolate (optional)
1 large egg white
1 tbsp golden syrup
¼ tsp cream of tartar
140g/5oz icing sugar
A few small pieces of chocolate (In UK – chocolate chips)
A few flaked almonds*

* I used ready toasted almonds. Toasting almonds enhances their flavour. Just put them in a dry pan on a medium heat for a few minutes. Shake the pan regularly and keep a close eye on them; they can burn very suddenly.

Method

1. Put the ring tin in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to making the cake. Then melt enough butter to brush the cold interior liberally. Return to fridge until it’s needed.

2. Preheat the oven to 170°C / fan 160°C / 325°F / Gas 3. Crack the three eggs into a bowl and beat lightly then stir in the two extracts. Set aside.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and mix. Then mix in the sugar and ground almonds.

4. Add in the softened butter and the beaten eggs. Beat well.

5. Stir in the nuts and chocolate pieces. Add the milk if the mixture seems stiff.

6. Spoon it into the prepared tin, tap to release any air pockets then bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until golden brown and pulling away from the side of the tin.

7. Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 – 15 minutes then carefully invert it onto a cooling rack.

8. (Optional) When the cake has cooled, melt about 40g of white chocolate over a bain marie and brush it onto the top surface of the cake. Leave to set.

9. For the topping, put the egg white, golden syrup and cream of tartar into a bowl then sift in the icing sugar. Stir gently to mix in the icing sugar then place the bowl onto a pan of simmering water and beat with an electric hand mixer until it is thick enough to hold its shape, or a little thinner if you want to let it run down the side of the cake.

10. Top the cake with the mixture. (I used a rubber spatula) then add the chocolate pieces and flaked almonds.

Process Gallery

I hope you enjoy this lovely cake. If you want more cake recipes click this link, or have a look at my site for lots of other great recipes, both sweet and savoury. Below are a few that I’d love you to try:

Golden Chocolate Cake