Flavour of the month: July

rasberry and blueberry lime drizzle cake

The perfect teatime treat, this raspberry and blueberry lime drizzle cake is moist and fruity - easy baking at its best

Fast facts

  • Moderately easy
  • Preparation time: 15-25 minutes
  • Cooking time: 1 hour
  • Cuts into 12 pieces 
  • 370 Kcal per serving

A member of the rose family, raspberries have a wonderfully intense, sweet taste, and many consider them to be the finest flavoured of all the berries.

Raspberries grow well in cool, damp climates and the red varieties, such as Heritage and Malling Jewel, are the most commonly sold. However, there are also black, yellow and golden varieties.

They are an essential ingredient in the classic English dessert, summer pudding and their flavour combines well with other berries.

They are at their peak from late June to early September. If you've got a garden or allotment, raspberries are quite easy to grow. Read more at www.gardenersworld.com.

Ingredients

  • 225g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 225g golden caster sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 2 limes, grated zest and juice
  • 250g self-raising flour, sifted with a pinch of salt, plus extra flour
  • 25g ground almonds
  • 100g each blueberries and raspberries
For the syrup
  • 8 tbsp lime juice (about 4 limes) 
  • 1 lime, grated zest
  • 140g golden caster sugar

Method

  1.  Line the base and sides of a 20cm/8in square cake tin (not loose-based) with greaseproof paper and butter the paper. Set oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour towards the end to prevent curdling. Beat in the lime zest, then fold in the flour and almonds. Fold in enough lime juice - about 3 tablespoons - to give you a good dropping consistency (the mixture should drop easily from the spoon when tapped).
  3. Fold in three quarters of the blueberries and raspberries and turn into the prepared tin. Smooth the surface, then scatter the remaining fruit on top - it will sink as the cake rises. 
  4.  Bake for about 1 hour (cover with foil if beginning to brown too much), or until firm to a gentle prod in the centre. A skewer pushed into the centre should be clean when removed.
  5. Meanwhile make the syrup: put the lime juice, zest and sugar in a small saucepan. Put over a gentle heat and stir, without allowing to bubble. The sugar should dissolve a little. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick all over with a skewer then spoon the syrup over it. To store, cool before wrapping in paper and/or foil.
  6. Carefully remove the cake from the tin, discard the lining paper and cut into 12 pieces to serve.

We've also got a recipe for the perfect summer salad- aubergine and couscous salad.

This recipe originally appeared on BBC GoodFood, where you can find more great seasonal ingredients, recipes and advice.