Mini Raspberry and Almond Puddings

A beautiful, delicate sponge cake, perfect for making in advance for your family treat or a dinner party. You can of course bung the whole mixture into a spring form cake tin and make a full on cake for slicing and serving with tea.

Serve with double cream, Greek yoghurt or good old custard.






Mini Raspberry and Almond Puddings
Makes 6 mini puddings, or 1 whole cake (in a 22cm spring form cake tin)

150g butter or margarine
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs
50g ground almonds
100g self raising flour
Finely grated zest of one orange
A splash of milk
A small punnet of fresh raspberries

1 - Pre-heat the oven to 180C/GM4. Grease 6 mini ramekins and dust with ground almonds. If you are making a full cake, grease and line.
2 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one by one until thoroughly mixed.
3 - Tip in the ground almonds and flour and fold together.
4 - Finally, fold in the zest of orange, a splash of milk and the raspberries.
5 - Using a tablespoon, fill each ramekin about three quarters full until evenly shared. Tap each ramekin until the air is out and they are flat on the top. Place on the middle shelf and cook for 30-35 minutes or until slightly browned and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
6 - Allow to cool slightly before serving. Dust with icing sugar.