Shmonn Bakes: Finnish Tosca Cake

Now this cake really is a taste of my childhood. My mum used to make this on a lazy Sunday, served with a big mug of hot chocolate after a long walk through the countryside.

I was inspired to make this after last week's European bakes on The Great British Bake Off, and indeed to commemorate GBBO Wednesdays. Woo!

Tosca cake is a light vanillery sponge topped with a crispy buttery almondy crust and it truly delicious and incredibly comforting.

You'll need an 8 inch cake tin that's been lightly greased for this recipe.

Ingredients

170g Caster Sugar
100g Butter
4 Eggs
200 ml Double Cream
3 Tsp Vanilla Essence
250g Plain Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder

For the Topping;

150g Butter
150g Caster Sugar
100 ml Double Cream
50g Plain Flour
150g Almond Flakes

1. Start by beating the sugar and the sugar together until pale and fluffy.

2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating fully in between.

3. Add the double cream and vanilla essence and beat again.

4. Finally add the flour and baking powder and mix until smooth. Bake in the oven for around 35 minutes (depending on your oven). You want to make sure that it's still slightly undercooked when you take it out. This prevents it drying out when you add the topping.

5. Whilst the cake is in the oven, you'll want to make the topping. Start by melting the butter, cream and caster sugar together in a pan over a medium heat.

6. Once the butter is melted in add the flour, a it at a time, whisking in between. Once the mixture has thickened fold in the almond flakes. Set aside until needed.

7. Once you've removed it from the oven, immediately cut off the top dome to create a flat surface for the topping. Then pour on the mixture spreading it out evenly, then place back in the oven for around 15 minutes or until the top is nicely browned.

8. Leave to cool completely before cutting into the bad boy and enjoying with a huge vat of hawt choccy, or if you want to do it the traditional way, with a large cup of VERY strong coffee.