Description
A delightful, moist Tottenham cake bursting with zesty lemon and fruity berry icing. This classic British sponge is topped with a tangy raspberry or blueberry icing and decorated with coconut or sprinkles for a fun, colorful finish. Perfect for teatime or celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 250g salted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin
- 250g caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 4 eggs
- 250g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp milk
- 1 lemon, zested
Icing
- 150g raspberries or blueberries
- 1 lemon, juiced (approx. 30ml)
- 300g icing sugar
- Pink food colouring gel (optional)
- Desiccated coconut or sprinkles, to decorate
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Tin: Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan/gas mark 4). Butter a 20 x 30cm cake tin and line it with baking parchment to prevent sticking.
- Make the Batter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, caster sugar, and vanilla bean paste together using an electric whisk or stand mixer for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently fold in the self-raising flour, baking powder, milk, and lemon zest with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If not done, check every 5 minutes to avoid overbaking. Once baked, leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Berry Icing: Place the raspberries or blueberries in a small heatproof bowl with the lemon juice. Microwave for 1 minute, stirring halfway, or heat gently in a small pan until softened. Use a fork to roughly crush the berries, then press the mixture through a sieve to extract seedless juice into a small bowl.
- Make the Icing: Put the icing sugar in a large bowl and gradually whisk in the berry juice until you achieve a thick but spreadable consistency. If too thick, add 1 tsp water at a time. Add a drop of pink food colouring gel, if desired, to brighten the color.
- Decorate the Cake: Spread the icing evenly over the cooled cake. Immediately sprinkle desiccated coconut or sprinkles over the icing for decoration. Allow to set for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For an even softer cake, ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before starting.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract can be used instead.
- The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Feel free to substitute berries for other fruits like strawberries or blackberries for different flavors.
- Using unsalted butter is fine; simply add a pinch of salt to the batter to balance flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: Tottenham cake, lemon cake, berry icing, British cake, sponge cake, teatime cake, raspberry icing, blueberry icing
