Cherry, Almond & White Chocolate Loaf Cake

This is a very simple loaf cake, it’s delicious and quick and easy to make. A cherry and white chocolate chip loaf with white chocolate buttercream and mascarpone icing, topped with toasted almonds.

INGREDIENTS

Loaf cake
200g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
4 large eggs
200g self raising flour
200g glace cherries
150g white chocolate chips

Icing
125g unsalted Butter
250g icing Sugar
125g mascarpone
125g white Chocolate (melted)

Decoration
50g flaked almonds

METHOD

1. Preheat the over to 200 degrees and scatter the flaked almonds on a lined baking tray, bake for 4-5 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and pop into a bowl and leave to one side

2. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 degrees fan and line a loaf tin

3. Using a hand or stand mixer beat the sugar and butter until light and creamy

4. Add eggs and beat again, then add flour and beat until combined

5. Add glace cherries and white chocolate chips and fold through the mixture with a spoon

6. Pour the loaf batter into the lined tin and bake for about 55-60 mins or until a skewer comes out clean

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack

8. Whilst the cake cools, make the icing. Beat the butter in a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy, add the icing sugar, mascarpone and melted white chocolate and beat again until smooth.

9. Pipe or spread with a palette knife the icing over the top of the fully cooled cake.

10. Scatter the toasted almonds over the top of the icing and serve.

ENJOY! If you opt for Cherry, Almond & White Chocolate Loaf Cake, please do share a picture!

Almond Milk

A lower calorie delicious alternative to shop bought almond milk, surprisingly very easy to make and lasts 4-5 days in the fridge. The only piece of equipment I would strongly suggest buying is a nut straining bag, Amazon do a great one that comes with a litre glass bottle to hold the finished milk in too for £9.99 – here

Makes 1 litre

INGREDIENTS

115g raw almonds
1 litre of filtered water
2 dates pitted
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

1. Soak the almonds in a bowl of cold water overnight

2. Strain the almonds and then add to a food processor along with the dates and 250ml of water, blitz for a few minutes until a smooth consistency is formed.

3. Add in the rest of the water (depending on how thick or runny you would like it, vary the amount of water you add to a consistency that works for you) and pulse again

4. Pass the liquid through a nut straining bag over a bowl, squeeze out as much juice as you can. You can either discard the pulp that remains or use in other baking

5. Pour into your litre bottle and its ready to use, how easy is that!

Variations – you could add a little cocoa powder to make chocolate almond milk, or berries to make a fruity version (I like a cup of mine chilled and blended with blueberries and raspberries for a wonderful summer vegan milkshake). If you like it a little sweeter then just add another date.

TOTAL CALORIES PER 50ml – 31 cals. Macro split Fat 2.1g Carbs 2.7g Protein 0.9g

ENJOY! If you opt for Almond Milk, please do share a picture!