Summer strawberry ripple loaf cake (V)

strawberry_recipe

We’re shining a light on strawberries — in season right now and 100% British — with this simple and mouth watering recipe.

This easy-to-make cake is bursting with juicy British fruit, and decorated with a rich cheesecake-style icing.

Serves 12 • Ready in 1 hour 30 mins, plus cooling

INGREDIENTS

  • 200g Co-op unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 227g pack Co-op British strawberries
  • 200g Fairtrade caster sugar
  • 4 Co-op British free-range eggs
  • 200g Co-op self-raising white flour, plus 1 tbsp
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 25g Co-op ground almonds
  • Drop of vegetarian red or pink food colouring gel
  • 1 tbsp Co-op whole milk

FOR THE ICING

  • 75g Co-op soft cheese, softened
  • 50g Co-op unsalted butter, softened
  • 100g Fairtrade icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste

FOR THE SYRUP

  • 40g Fairtrade icing sugar
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tbsp Co-op strawberry jam

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin, then whizz 100g of the strawberries into a purée.
  2. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, spooning in a little flour after each addition to prevent curdling. Add the rest of the 200g flour, the vanilla and almonds, then beat until smooth.
  3. Put half the batter into another bowl and mix in the strawberry purée, the extra 1 tbsp flour and a drop of food colouring. Mix the milk into the plain batter.
  4. Dollop the two batters alternately into the prepared baking tin, then gently swirl together. Bake for 1 hour, until risen and golden and a skewer comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin.
  5. For the icing, beat together the soft cheese and butter until smooth. Stir in the icing sugar a little at a time, followed by the vanilla paste, until you have a thick, creamy mixture. Spread this over the cooled cake, then top with the remaining strawberries, halved, to decorate.
  6. Mix together the syrup ingredients and spoon over the cake. If there’s any left, serve in a jug on the side.