This cake is so simple to make and is really delicious. You can use any kind of berries but my favourite berry is the raspberry and this is what I have chosen for this cake. The sharp flavour fo the fresh raspberry contrasts well with the sweetness of the coconut and almond. This is a perfect gluten free cake to make for afternoon tea or to serve with ice cream for dessert.

Raspberry, Coconut and Almond Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 180 g butter, melted and allowed to cool
•  fresh raspberries
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• flaked almonds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (350°F),
2. Prepare by greasing a 20 cm springform cake tin and lining the base and sides with baking paper. Allow the paper on the sides to be a little taller than the pan to protect the cake from browning too soon.
3. Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract in a bowl until combined then gradually whisk in in the melted butter
4. Whisk through the grated orange zest
5. In another bowl, thoroughly stir together almond meal, sugar, and coconut, making sure to break up any clumps.
6. Stir the egg and butter mixture into the dry mixture and stir till thoroughly combined
7. Pour the mixture into the lined springform pan
8. Place the raspberries around into the top of the cake mixture
9. Scatter with flaked almonds in the spaces in between the raspberries.
10. Place cake tin in the oven and bake for 45 mins
11. Then check if the top of the cake is brown enough and test with a skewer to see if the cake is cooked. If not then cover with a sheet of foil and cook for a further 5 mins or until a skewer will come out cleanly and the top of the cake springs back when pressed.
12. When fully cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the springform pan for 8 minutes
13. Then remove from the springform pan to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool
14. Serve with ice cream, yoghurt, a dollop of double cream or just a whisper of icing sugar

Variation:

Use any other berry that you may prefer, like strawberry, blueberry, blackberry or mullberry or even thin steamed slices of apple.