Vanilla Custard and Raspberry Cake

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes (+ cooling and chilling)

Servings 8

Ingredients

500ml of milk

2 vanilla beans, scrapped

4 eggs

150g caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

125g butter, melted and cooled to room temperature plus extra for greasing

125g plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 punnet, 125g of raspberries

Icing sugar, to garnish

Method

Place the milk and vanilla into a pot and bring to a boil. Remove and infuse for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a deep 22cm round baking pan or a round spring-form tin with a little butter and baking paper. Scatter berries in the base of tin.

Separate the whites and yolks. Whisk together the yolks with the caster sugar and lemon zest until pale, thick and glossy then add the butter and whisk to incorporate. Whisk in the strained milk. Now add the flour and salt and mix together.

Whisk the egg whites in a mixer or a whisk until firm peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites through the batter and ensure there are still many egg white lumps and pockets (this is important) for the texture of the cake.

Pour batter over the raspberries in the cake tin and smooth over the top. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Cool in the tin to room temperature then chill cake for a few hours in the fridge, or even better overnight.

Portion cake and serve with icing sugar.

Note: a round baking pan is more ideal for this recipe because the batter is runny and may leak in a spring form. If using spring form, cover the exterior base well with foil.