*Almond Cake*
one 8-inch round cake cuts into 8 slices A great every day cake, moist and dense with lots of almond flavour. 225g butter (1 cup) softened 225g caster sugar (1 cup plus 3 TBS) 3 large free range eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp almond extract 140g self raising flour (1 cup) 175g ground almonds (2 cups) 50g whole blanched almonds, coarsely chopped (scant 1/3 cup) 25g dark chcocolate (1 ounce) Preheat the oven to 150*C/300*F/ gas mark 2. Butter an 8 inch round deep cake tin and line with baking paper. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat together the eggs and extracts. Gradually beat this into the butter/sugar mixture. Sift the flour into the bowl. Stir into the batter along with the ground almonds. Mix until smooth. Spoon into the prepared cake tin, smoothing the top. Scatter the chopped almonds on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until golden, well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Break up the chocolate and melt in a glass bowl over gently simmering water, until smooth and free of lumps. Drizzle over top of the cooled cake and allow to set before cutting into slices to serve.
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