Raspberry Celebration Cake

I can remember when Prince William was born and how exciting it was.  I was pregnant the same time as Princess Diana and so Wills was always a bit special to me because he is the same age as our Douglas and I felt the whole way through my pregnancy that Diana was feeling the same way as I did!

I have followed his whole life, and that of Harry's with great interest actually.   I am a Royalist at heart and love all of the Royal Family, warts-n-arl as my late good friend Angie would have said.



I was thrilled beyond measure when he and Katherine Middleton got married in 2011.   It was such a beautiful wedding and they are such a sweet young couple.  I have always wished them all the best.   I was so excited when we found out they were expecting their first child, third in line to the throne and absolutely ecstatic yesterday when Katherine, the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth  to their son!



Once again my life and that of the Royal Family have paralleled each other,  as my youngest daughter was pregnant at this same time as Katherine and just gave birth a few weeks ago to . . . yes, our own little Prince . . . Cameron David, and yes, we are thrilled beyond belief about that as well!  All in all, it is a great time for a celebration!



I can't show you a photo of the little Prince Windsor Mountbatten . . . but I can quite happily show you a photo of our little Prince.   I think he's just the cutest, but then again, I am the Grandmum!  Maybe Charles and I could share our bragging rights together!  In any case, a celebration calls for something spectacular to mark it's occurrence and that is just what this cake does!



In fact I can't think of a nicer cake you could bake to celebrate a special occasion!   This is always my go to for Birthdays and other celebrations.



It's a deliciously buttery sponge, filled with fresh raspberries and baked into two moist layers. Sandwiched together with a lovely vanilla butter cream icing and some seedless raspberry jam, and then drizzled with more sweetness. This is one very moreishly scrummy cake.



Just look at all of that raspberry scrumminess!!  This is a cake I wouldn't hesitate to bake and serve to Royalty . . . not Queens or Kings . . . or little Princes . . . or even Princesses . . .



Bake it for yourself . . . one bite will tell you how very right I am about this delightful cake.   Seriously. It is well worth the price of fresh berries and the time and effort to make it.  I do hope that you will make the effort and then come back and tell me all about it!

Congratulations to Prince William and his Duchess on this most wonderful occasion.  May God bless you all.




*Raspberry Celebration Cake*
Cuts into 12 scrummy slices
Printable Recipe

This is the cake I always bake for summer birthdays.  A light moist sponge, filled with lovely raspberries, butter cream icing and seedless raspberry preserves.  Top with a sweet glaze and serve with more raspberries.

For the Cake:
175g of caster sugar (3/4 plus 1/8 cup)
175g of butter, softened (13 TBS)
4 large free range eggs, separated
100g self raising flour (a scant 3/4 cup)
1 tsp baking powder
100g ground almonds (1 scan't cup)
a few drops of almond extract
125g of fresh raspberries (a heaped cup)

For the buttercream:
75g of butter, softened (1/4 cup approx.)
125g icing sugar, sifted (about 3/4 cup)
few drops vanilla

For the glaze:
100ml icing sugar sifted (1/3 cup approx.)
water to thin



Also about 4 heaped dessertspoons of seedless raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4.  Butter two 8 inch sandwich cake tins.  Line the bottoms with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the egg yolks.  Sift the flour and baking powder over the creamed mixture and then fold in using a metal spoon.   Fold in the ground almonds and exract.  Fold only until all traces of the flour have disappeared.

Beat the egg whites until they just hold their shape.  Fold them in gently, by thirds, being careful not to overmix and lose the lightness of the whites.  Lightly fold in the berries.  Divide between the two prepared cake tins and level off carefully.

Bake in the heated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, just until they test done.  A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean and they should spring back when lightly touched on top.

Remove from the oven.  Let cool in the tins for five minutes, then tip out onto wire racks, peel off the baking paper and allow to cool completely.

Make the buttercream by beating together all the ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Place one cake, bottom side up on a cake plate.  Spread completely with all the buttercream.  Spread the raspberry jam over top of the buttercream and then top with the other cake layer, placing it right side up.  Whisk together the icing sugar for the glaze and enough water to make a smooth drizzable mixture.  Drizzle decoratively over the top of the cake.  Allow to set, then dust with more icing sugar if desired.



Oh, and in case you haven't seen them  (Like what planet are you on if you haven't!)   here is the lovely trio.   I think they're such a sweet family and colour cor-ordinated too, and BLUE for the little Prince!