Bake of the Week: Raspberry & Coconut Layer Cake

This delicious-looking cake is made with spelt flour and can be enjoyed by the increasing numbers of people trying to avoid wheat for health reasons.

Buttermilk gives the cake a gorgeous creaminess. Decorated with lashings of coconut and maple syrup frosting, it’s simply irresistible.

You’ll need…

For the cake

• 230g unsalted butter, softened
• 65g agave syrup
• 100g unrefined golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 240ml buttermilk
• 300g spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder (use gluten free if preferred)
• Pinch of salt
• 150g fresh raspberries

For the frosting

• 140g coconut oil
• 160g unsalted butter, softened
• 350g golden icing sugar
• 5 tbsp Meridian maple syrup

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C, 160C for fan oven, 350F or gas mark 4. Line the base and sides of three 20cm sandwich cake tins with baking paper.

2. In a large bowl beat the butter until pale, soft and creamy. Whisk in the agave syrup then the golden caster sugar. Beat in the eggs and yolks one by one, then the vanilla extract and buttermilk. If the mixture looks like its curdling at any point, add a few spoons of flour and continue whisking.

3. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture and gently fold in. Gently add raspberries then divide between the cake tins. Spread to the edges and bake straight away for 30-35 minutes or until it springs back when gently pressed in the centre. Once cooked, cool in the tins for a few minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. While cooling, make the frosting. Beat together the butter and coconut oil then beat in all of the other ingredients to make a firm frosting. Divide the mixture into thirds. Put the bottom layer on your serving plate or cake stand and spread one third of the frosting over it. Gently place the next layer on top and repeat until you have all three layers with a layer of frosting on top. Decorate the top with coconut shavings and fresh raspberries.