A very easy and delicious strawberry cake to celebrate spring! The crunchy candied almond topping is perfect with the soft moist cake. Lovely with a dollop of whipped cream.

STRAWBERRY, ALMOND & COCONUT CAKE

Serves 8 - 10

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean pod
180g caster sugar
300g strawberries, tops removed and quartered
Zest of 1/2 lemon
120 grams butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
70 grams ground almonds
70g threaded coconut
100 grams flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

CANDIED ALMOND TOPPING
25 grams butter, melted
Zest of 1/2 lemon
25 grams caster sugar
70 grams sliced almonds

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.

Place the vanilla bean seeds, quartered strawberries, lemon zest and 40g of the caster sugar in a bowl, mix and set aside for an hour. 

Cream the butter and remaining 140g of caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract then the eggs, one at a time mixing in between. Add the ground almonds, coconut, flour and baking powder and mix until we combined. Add half the strawberries and any syrup in the base of the bowl to the batter and gently fold through.

Spoon mixture into cake tin and spoon over remaining strawberries. Bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter for topping. Add lemon zest, caster sugar and almonds and mix to combine.

Remove cake from oven and spoon over topping. Bake for a further 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden and firm. Let cool in tin.

Serve with a dusting of icing sugar and whipped cream.