Summer berry cake with rose geranium cream

Bakers rejoice: this summer berry cake layered with rose geranium cream is simply divine. It will make a fabulously floral centrepiece dessert at any party

Prep:40 mins
Cook:35 mins

Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 694
fat 45g
saturates 23g
carbs 58g
sugars 39g
fibre 3g
protein 11g
salt 0.9g

Ingredients

325g butter, at room temperature, plus extra for the tins
425g caster sugar
2 tsp almond extract
½ lemon, finely zested
250g plain yogurt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
375g self-raising flour
225g ground almonds
200g mascarpone
300ml double cream
1 tbsp lemon juice
icing sugar, to taste, plus extra for dusting
1-2 tsp rose geranium wateror rose water, to taste (see tip, below)
800g summer berries(raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, hulled strawberries and loganberries)
4 tbsp caster sugar
rose geranium flowersor other edible flowers

Tip

Rose geranium

Rose geranium was a popular ingredient in Victorian baking. You can buy rose geranium water online, but you may have the plant in your garden. To impart the flavour, line the cake tin with some washed leaves, then peel them away from the cake after baking.

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the bases of three 23cm cake tins. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the almond extract and lemon zest. Use a fork to whisk the yogurt with the eggs. With the mixer on a low speed, add the flour, ground almonds and 1/2 tsp salt to the butter and sugar, alternating with the yogurt and eggs.
Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 35-40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 5 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, remove the parchment and leave to cool.
Beat the mascarpone to loosen it. Whip the cream until it holds its shape. Combine the cream, mascarpone and lemon juice, then carefully add the icing sugar and flower water to taste.
Assemble the cake just before serving. Toss the berries with the caster sugar. Spread the flattest cake with half the cream, then add half the fruit. Top with a second cake, spread with the rest of the cream and top with the rest of the fruit. Finish with the last cake, sift over icing sugar, then decorate with rose geranium petals and rose geranium leaves (as long as they’re small).