Caraway Seed Loaf Cake

The taste of caraway has a slightly anise-like taste, but is also unique on it's own. As a flavour for a cake which it is a little unusual to see these days, but it's worth tracking down some caraway seeds.

Ingredients:

• 175g spreadable butter (vegetable fat blended with buttermilk or butter)
• 175g caster sugar
• 175g self-raising flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 3 tsp caraway seeds
• 60ml milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp of unrefined granulated sugar
• 10g (about 1 tbsp) flaked almonds

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Put the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and cream together.
3. Add the flour, ground almonds, caraway seeds, milk and eggs and mix together until a smooth batter is formed.
4. Pour the batter into a lined 2lb loaf tin. It's easiest to get some of the pre-made liners rather than trying to cut greaseproof paper to fit.
5. Use the back of a spoon to level off the batter. Sprinkle the granulated sugar followed by the flaked almonds over the top of the mixture.
6. Place in the oven for an hour.
7. Use a skewer to test that the cake is cooked in the centre (it should come out clean). You might need an extra 10 minutes, depending on how powerful your oven is.
8. Remove from the oven and leave for 20 minutes in the tin.
9. Lift the cake out of the tin and leave to cool on a rack.
10. Once fully cool, store the cake in an airtight container and enjoy.

Makes a 2lb loaf shaped cake.