Raspberry cake with Italian Meringue Icing

So as I’ve only just started this blog I am kind of back tracking with baking I have done in the past. So, not to bring up Valentines day even more than once a year but I just quickly wanted to share this recipe!

I wanted to make a indulgent cake suitable for Valentine’s day and what is more indulgent and romantic than meringue! A colleague bought me a heart shaped silicon cake tin that I wanted to try out too so I made a raspberry caked topped with Italian meringue and fresh raspberries.

I took this cake to work for our Valentines day fun (my boyfriend didn’t get any, oops). When I got in to the office, all of our desks were covered in red heart balloons, love hearts and heart cards from our secret admirers. What a lovely team! To top if off we had tea and valentines day cake and chocolates hearts after lunch.

Raspberry Cake

180g unsalted butter (room temp)

260g caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

260g self raising flour

pinch of salt

6 tbsp milk

1 box of raspberries (hold some back to decorate)

1. Preheat the oven to 170C and grease a cake tin (round 22").

2. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric whisk until fluffy.

3. Whisk in the eggs, one by one, and vanilla essence.

4. Sift in the flour and salt.

5. Stir in the milk until all combined, use a spatula to scrape down the sides.

6. Fold in the raspberries.

7. Pour batter into the tin and bake for 40 mins. Resist opening the door, it will sink!

Italian Meringue Icing

120g Sugar
80g Golden Syrup
1 1/2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites

1. Whisk the egg whites in to stiff peaks.
2. Heat the other ingredients on the hob, constantly stirring, until the temperature reaches 112C to 116C. Test this with a jam thermometer.
3. Pour the boiling liquid in to the egg white peaks slowly, while beating at a slow speed. Beat until the peaks are stiff and shiny.
4. Spread on to the cake with a palette knife. You can make swirly patterns with the meringue and it will set like that.

The raspberries contrast with the sweet and mild flavour of the meringue. As this icing is not as moist as buttercream (or not really icing at all) the fruit keeps the cake moist too. Enjoy!