Almond and summer fruit picnic cake

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

60 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 125g unsalted butter, softened, chopped
• 125ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 220g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 eggs
• 1 lemon, zested
• 225g ground almonds
• 60g panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs (see note)
• 100g milk chocolate, (see note) chilled, broken into small pieces
• 125g raspberries, plus extra (optional), to serve
• 2 large purple figs, roughly chopped
• 150g cherries, halved, pitted
• 1 1/2 tsp plain flour
• 1 tbs demerara sugar
• Greek-style yoghurt and mascarpone, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 24cm springform pan and line the base and side with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, oil, caster sugar, vanilla and 1/4 tsp salt until smooth and pale. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Stir in lemon zest, ground almonds and breadcrumbs until well combined. Add chocolate and half the raspberries, and stir gently to combine. Spoon mixture into pan, then, using a spoon, level top.
2. Place figs, cherries and remaining raspberries in a bowl. Scatter with flour and demerara sugar, toss to combine, then scatter over top of cake.
3. Bake cake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 20 minutes.
4. Scatter with extra raspberries, if using. Serve with yoghurt and mascarpone.

Notes

• Transport cake in the pan, then transfer to a platter to serve.
  Top tips: Panko breadcrumbs are available from supermarkets. Substitute dried breadcrumbs.
  We used Lindt Excellence Extra Creamy Milk chocolate. Available from supermarkets.
  To serve, whisk 140g (1/2 cup) Greek-style yoghurt, 200g mascarpone, 1 tbs caster sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla to soft peaks.