Next weekend is Valentine's Day.
Most sweet Valentine recipes tend to focus on chocolate but (though god knows I'm not one to ever turn down chocolate), here's a fruitier alternative. Rose water isn't everyone's cup of tea, so leave it out if you want but it gives this cake the fragrance of Turkish Delight, and with the raspberries turn a really easy sponge into something much more glamorous and romantic. It's also much cheaper than a dozen roses, but I can guarantee it won't last as long!
Most sweet Valentine recipes tend to focus on chocolate but (though god knows I'm not one to ever turn down chocolate), here's a fruitier alternative. Rose water isn't everyone's cup of tea, so leave it out if you want but it gives this cake the fragrance of Turkish Delight, and with the raspberries turn a really easy sponge into something much more glamorous and romantic. It's also much cheaper than a dozen roses, but I can guarantee it won't last as long!
Ingredients:
Cake:
225g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
275g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
4 tbsp milk
300g fresh raspberries
Icing:
250g icing sugar
4 tsp rosewater
1-2 tbsp water
Pink colouring
Cake:
225g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
275g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
4 tbsp milk
300g fresh raspberries
Icing:
250g icing sugar
4 tsp rosewater
1-2 tbsp water
Pink colouring
How to make it:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c/gas 4 and line a tray bake tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Put all the cake ingredients, except the raspberries, in a bowl and beat for about 2 mins.
3. Fold the raspberries carefully into the the cake mix, making sure not to break them up too much.
4. Put it in the oven and bake for 35-40 mins until a cocktail stick comes out clean but the texture still has some spring. If the top starts to catch, cover with some scrunched up greaseproof paper.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10mins, then lift it out by the greaseproof paper and allow to completely cool on a cooling rack.
6. While it cools, make the icing.
7. Put the icing sugar and rosewater in a bowl and stir until it becomes a paste. If it's too stiff, add the water gradually but not too much - if it's too runny it won't stay on the cake. Add the pink colouring a few drops at a time until you get the shade you want.
8. Once the cake is cool cut it into squares.
9. Spoon icing onto each square and carefully smooth across the top - don't worry if a bit runs down the sides. After a while the icing will set slightly without hardening.
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