Tastes like home.
This cake is a go-to favourite in my home: ideal for picnics, school bake sales and casual afternoon teas.
Michael says…
I grew up in Cornwall, where my grandparents had a strong influence on my love for baking. The kitchen was always bustling: the aromas and tastes of freshly baked pasties and cakes in my early years have stayed with me forever.
Some of my earliest memories involve helping my Gran make pasties. Our kitchen was very small, so I’d often assist her on the ironing board, crimping edges or whisking cake batter while eagerly waiting for my turn to lick the spoon. One of her specialties was a large pastie pie that fed our family and any friends that would pop in.
I started my career in the culinary field as a chef, later evolving into a pastry chef and now working as a baker in Melbourne. This journey has come full circle as I now bake for my community, friends and family, often with my enthusiastic 10-year-old daughter by my side.
As bakers, we play an important role in connecting with our community by using fresh, local ingredients. This not only supports local producers but also adds flavour and variety to our baked goods. My recipes reflect this commitment to locality – honouring my Cornish roots while integrating indigenous ingredients from Australia. It really gives you a connection to country and sense of place.
This cake is a go-to favourite in my home: ideal for picnics, school bake sales and casual afternoon teas. It was on constant rotation in the cabinet when we had Tivoli Road Bakery. I often adjust the fruits based on what’s in season, or use frozen alternatives to keep it accessible. The irresistible combination of lemon and raspberry makes you want to go back for seconds. If you are new to baking it’s a very achievable recipe, and one to whip up in no time
Ingredients
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225g raw caster sugar
zest of 2 lemons
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways and seeds scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
170g egg (about 4 eggs), at room temperature
110g fine polenta
275g almond meal
50g rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
50g lemon juice
125g fresh or frozen raspberries, or 50g dried raspberries
1 teaspoon cornflour
Raspberry Icing
125g fresh, frozen or dried raspberries
110g icing sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional). Grease a 25 × 10 cm loaf tin with butter or oil spray, and line it with baking paper. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla seeds for about 10 minutes, until pale and creamy. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. In several stages, add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture, mixing well between additions until fully incorporated. Scrape down the side of the bowl to ensure everything is thoroughly mixed.
In a separate bowl, combine the polenta, almond meal and rice flour with the baking powder and salt, and mix well with a fork to knock out any lumps. Add the dry mixture to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until just incorporated. With the mixer still running, slowly pour in the lemon juice and mix until just combined. In a small bowl, gently toss your fresh raspberries with the cornflour. Pour half the cake mixture into your prepared tin and scatter half of the raspberries over the top. Add the remaining cake mixture, using a spatula to gently smooth out the top, then scatter the remaining raspberries over the top.
Bake for 50 minutes, then rotate the tin and bake for a further 10–15 minutes, or until the top is a lovely golden colour all over and is firm to the touch. As this is gluten-free and very moist, it’s not a good idea to test it with a cake skewer, as it will come out with crumbs. Cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the raspberry icing. Blend the raspberries in a food processor, then pass the pulp through a fine sieve over a small saucepan to remove the seeds. Place over medium heat and reduce until you have about 1½ tablespoons (30g) of puree. Set aside to cool. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add most of the raspberry puree. Stir it in and check the consistency – you want it to be thin enough to spread, but not so liquid that it won’t set. Adjust the consistency by adding a little lemon juice or icing sugar as required. Immediately pour the icing over your cooled cake, using an angled palette knife to spread it all over the top, then leave to set. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
FIND MORE OF MICHAEL JAMES’ RECIPES IN THE BAKER’S BOOK BY RUBY GOSS – OR AT @MICHAELJAMESBAKES ON INSTAGRAM.
Published in ed#736