Serves: 24, Calories: 325

Ingredients

Cake:

• 350g caster sugar.  1400
• 120ml veg oil, OR, 160g soft butter.  1202
• 3 large eggs.  225
• 1 tbsp almond essence (or 1.½ tsp extract.  51
• 100ml sour cream (optional).  187
• 250g plain flour, sifted.  855
• 100g ground almonds.  641
• 3 tsp baking powder.   
• Pinch of salt
• 200ml milk (room temp / microwave from cold on defrost for 40 secs).  98

Buttercream Topping: (whisked)

• 200g strawberry or cherry jam.  504
• 190g butter, softened.  1427
• 265g icing sugar, sifted.  1060
• 1 tsp almond essence (or ½ tsp extract).  17
• 2-3 tsp milk.  40
• 15g flaked almonds to sprinkle.  96

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line 12x9" Pyrex roaster.
3. All ingredients must be warm room temp.
4. Cake: In large mixing bowl; Cream butter and sugar.
5. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well between additions.
6. Whisk in almond essence and sour cream.
7. Briefly fold in ½ flour, ½ ground almonds plus baking powder, salt and ½ milk.
8. Fold in remaining flour, ground almonds and milk until just combined.
9. Pour into dish. Bake for 75 mins. Cover with foil from 35 mins.
10. Cool for 40 mins in dish. Remove. Cool completely.
11. Buttercream: In medium Pyrex bowl; Whisk butter and icing sugar, with a fork, until pale and creamy.
12. Whisk in almond essence.
13. Whisk in milk until smooth and spreadable.
14. Top cake with jam, then buttercream and flaked almonds.

Calories  = 7803

• 7803 / 24 = 325
• 7803 / 20 = 390

Tip: Makes 24 cupcakes. Bake for 16-20 mins.

Tip: Substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt, OR, Mascarpone, OR, leave out entirely. Cake will taste fine but not be as moist after 2 days.