Tosca Kaka

 Tosca Kaka is another classic from the Swedish Bageriet, and a childhood classic for me. It consists of a light fluffy vanilla sponge topped with caramelised flaked almonds that sets to create a crunchy topping. Most Tosca cakes are usually served as is, but my mother would always dip the edges in chocolate which is shamefully good. I have to admit that when I was younger I would often bite off the chocolate and almonds and leave the cake, it was my moment to experience a true sugar rush without getting into trouble for it. 

Bizarrely my mother would never allow me to have sweets or too much chocolate, it was a once weekly ration for me, though she did not mind me eating the odd cake, as long as it was Swedish and baked by her of course. I think that baking is truly a skill and lightness of touch is a natural gift, my mother has this in spades full, despite my mothers clapped out oven that always cooked quicker on one side than the other she always managed to turn out the most spectacular cakes, as light as a cloud. I hope I did her cake justice, the best part about this cake is that it is eaten with your hands, there is no side that does not stick to your fingers, what's not to like about chocolaty caramely nutty fingers? No manners required for a Tosca cake!!

You will need:

for the cake

100g of cooled melted butter

150g of caster sugar

3 eggs

175g of self raising flour

60ml of double cream

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp of vanilla extract

For the topping:

150g of caster sugar

100g of butter

2 tbsp of plain flour

2 tbsp of milk

100g of flaked almonds

100g of milk or dark chocolate melted

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees c and butter and line a 9 inch spring form cake pan. In a bowl whisk the eggs and the sugar until they are voluminous and are at ribbon stage (they leave a trail when you hold up the whisk) fold in half the sifted flour and baking powder, then the butter, vanilla and double cream and then the other half of the flour and baking powder, mix until just combined as you do not want to over work the batter. Decant the batter into the lined baking tin and cook in the oven for 25 minutes.

In a small saucepan add all the topping ingredients apart from the chocolate and cook on a low heat until the mixture becomes thick and all the ingredients have cohered together. Remove the cake from the oven, working quickly and lightly spread the almond mixture on the top of the cake and return back to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until the topping in brown and toasted. 

Remove from the oven and leave the cake to cool entirely. Remove the cake from the pan and using a pastry brush paint the edges with the melted chocolate, you may have to go over it a few times. If you wish you can drizzle melted chocolate over the top too for extra chocolaty flavour.