Wednesday 18 May 2011

Elderflower Crunch Cake

My hubby is fortunate that his job allows him to work from home most of the week. I love those days because it means we can have more of a lay in, not having to catch a train into the city and when he finishes work his always home on time for dinner! This working from home arrangement brings a demand for a regular supply of baked goodies. He loves nothing more than teasing his colleagues on conference calls whenever his enjoying said baked goodies with a cuppa. We spent this weekend at the lodge and I baked a fruit cake which we bought back with us and was finished yesterday. I will be blogging the fruit cake soon, along with pics I took whilst at the lodge. This morning I decided to make this Elderflower Crunch Cake that I've had book-marked for a while and replenish the cake tin contents for hubby! This cake is light and fluffy with a subtle hint of almond that works wonderfully with the elderflower crunch topping. The flavours in this luscious cake really capture the essence of summer (although the weather hasn't been great lately).

Elderflower Crunch Cake

Ingredients
For the loaf cake base:
175g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
140g self-raising flour
85g ground almonds
1/2 tsp baking powder
100ml milk

For the Elderflower drizzle:
4 tbsp elderflower cordial
4 tbsp white or golden granulated sugar

Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/Gas 3. Grease and line a 2lb/900g loaf tin with a long strip of baking parchment. To make the loaf cake batter, beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and milk until smooth. Pour into the tin and bake for 45-50 mins until golden, risen and a skewer poked in the centre comes out clean.

As soon as the cake has come out of the oven, prick it all over with a skewer. Mix together the cordial and extra sugar, then pour all over the cake. Cool in the tin, then carefully lift out to slice.

9 comments:

Caroline said...

I love elderflower, and your cake looks delicious - love the crunchy topping!

Gloria Baker said...

Love this cake MarĂ­a is the perfect cake I think, love it! gloria

Chele said...

This is my idea of an afternoon treat ... blast those WW points ;0)

Feeling Food said...

Love the sound of this cake;-) Fresh and light, with a crunch, yum! Working from home must be bliss - irresistible even with the homemade goodies;-))

Finla said...

I love it too as my hubby don't have to go early as he is a musician, so now that daughter is in college, we have the luxury to get up late too.
Beautiful cake.

LF said...

Lovely looking cake! I havent really explored elderflower, must try. Really like those work from home days too, although my husband isnt so keen on sweet treats so it is my waist that suffers lol x

Cynthia said...

If only I have have a nice thick slice of cake right now and a lovely cup of tea, I will sleep soundly, like a baby :)

Thank you so much for stopping by to offer your words of comfort.

Maggie said...

Lovely cake Maria. I am an elderflower fan and this cake sounds delicious.

Anna said...

I love elderflower! My mum used to make cordial when we were little, using it in the drizzle of a cake is a fabulous idea. More interesting than plain lemon!