With the softness of almond meal, and the ooze factor of melted dark chocolate and raspberries...this gorgeous tea cake goes perfectly with a weekend magazine read, or afternoon tea with friends.

In the Autumn issue of the Bendigo Magazine, out early next week, I explored the idea of the reinvention of the traditional general store. One of the three places I visited to write about was Edwards Greengrocer and Deli, owned by Mandy and her husband Greg. Whilst Mandy remembers me from Uni days, I remember her most from the day I first ventured to her store to find their legendary mini yo-yo biscuits. (On a side note, I can't believe I blogged about that almost two years ago...where does the time go?!) After we took a road trip to Fete Magazine's White House Dinner in Daylesford, I convinced her to do a Q&A with me as part of a piece I was planning to write for the Bendigo Magazine. You can read more about this next week...but in the meantime she's shared with us one of her favourite cake recipes that has gone straight to my "for keeps" file. I'm sure that you will feel the same way about it too!

Raspberry, Chocolate & Almond Tea Cake
(Delicious Magazine, May 2013 // shared by Mandy of Edwards Greengrocer & Deli)
Serves 6

150g softened unsalted butter, chopped
150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
50ml milk
150g (1 cup) self-raising flour, sifted
150g almond meal
135g (3/4 cup) dark chocolate chips
150g fresh or frozen raspberries
25g (1/3 cup) flaked almonds
Icing sugar, to dust
Double thick cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease and line base and side of a 20cm cake pan. Beat the butter and caster sugar with electric beaters until thick and pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the almond extract and milk, then beat to combine. Fold in the flour and almond meal, then fold in the chocolate chips and raspberries. Spoon into the pan, then sprinkle over flaked almonds.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in cake pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely. Dust with icing sugar, serve with cream.

With Autumn just around the corner, what a gorgeous cake to serve with a hot cup of tea and a dollop of cream :) Everyone has a favourite cake recipe collection...mine are almost always chocolate or citrus based...what cake recipes are you drawn towards? Would love to hear about your favourites in the comments or social media links below!

You might also like: Chocolate, Ricotta & Cherry Ripe Layer Cake or Sticky Nutella Swirls