Sunday, October 31, 2010

Raspberry & Blueberry Lime Drizzle Cake


(Hah. Again, fancy calling myself a Confectionery Queen, when i seldom update this blog.)

Nothing like a summery treat to cheer you up. Especially when your weekend is almost over, and all you can think of is how the hell you are going to clear off all the massive paperwork at your workplace without wanting to bang your head occasionally on the wall.

Yes. A nice summery treat is just what you need.

Everything about this cake is good. The recipe is straight forward, and it's really easy to make.

Except i didn't know that my juice squeezer had gone missing. So in the end i had to squeeze the hell out of 6 big Australian Tahtian Lime using only a small spoon.

And my fingers are sensitive to the acidity of the lime juice. So, imagine the stinging that i had to endure. Imagine the horrendous facial expressions i made when i was in pain. Just. Imagine.


I hate you but i love you, lime.


The hardship that i had to go through just to produce a few tablespoons of lime juice and lime zest... Tsk.
Will never wish the same fate to befall upon my enemies.

Wait. Maybe I would.



Ah, i just love how the batter looks like with the blueberries and raspberries folded in!
I added some flour to the berries so that it wouldn't sink to the bottom of the cake.



This cake turned out to be deliciously moist and fruity, and bursting with zesty/tangy flavour after the lime syrup had been poured onto the cake.



I liked it best when it's served warm.

My Rating: 7/10

Recipe
(Taken from BBC GoodFood Website)

For the cake
225g/8 oz softened butter, plus extra for greasing
225g/8 oz golden caster sugar
4 medium eggs
grated zest and juice of 2 limes
250g/9 oz self-raising flour, sifted with a pinch of salt, plus a little extra flour
25g/1 oz ground almonds
100g/4 oz each blueberries and raspberries

For the syrup
8 tbsp lime juice (about 4 limes)
Grated zest of 1 lime
140g/5 oz golden caster sugar


Method:

Line the base and sides of a 20cm/8 inch square cake tin, not loose based, with greaseproof paper and butter the paper. Pre heat oven to 180c/gas 4/fan oven 160c.

Cream the butter and the sugar together until light. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour towards the end to prevent curdling.

Beat in the lime zest, then fold in the flour and almonds. Fold in enough lime juice-about 3 tbsp- to give a good dropping consistency.

Fold in ¾ of the blueberries and raspberries and turn into the prepared tin. Smooth the surface, then scatter the remaining fruit on the top.

Bake for about 1 hour (cover with foil, if beginning to brown too much).

Meanwhile make the drizzle syrup: put the lime juice, zest and sugar in a small saucepan. Put over a gentle heat and stir, without allowing to bubble. The sugar should dissolve a little.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick all over with a skewer then spoon the syrup over it
To store, cool before wrapping in paper and/or foil.

Carefully remove the cake form the tin, discard the lining paper and cut into 12 portions to serve.

Serve with Chantilly cream. Whip a carton of double cream and add tbsp sifted icing sugar and tsp vanilla essence.