Peach & Raspberry Almond Cake

I'll never complain about summer rain – I mean, what is more delicious than pottering around the kitchen with the back door ajar while it pours? Plus, when there is rain there's no irrational FOMO, so, lately, my thoughts have been healthier, more creative, inspired and, obviously revolving around baked goods. The result: a fruit-filled, bakewell-style cake that, if it were just a smidge warmer, I'd be serving with iced tea. But it's still steaming cups of coffee and I'm quite happy with that.

This recipe is adapted from Emily's Blackberry Plum Crumble Cake recipe over on her blog, De La Terre. I recall (very fondly) Sunday afternoons sitting cross-legged on her bed eating that cake with mugs of Earl Grey, exactly as she recommends it in her post. Those memories are what I miss the most about living in Bristol.  

Peach & Raspberry Almond Cake 

Serves 9 

Ingredients:

150g unsalted butter room temperature

150g caster sugar

2 eggs

150g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g raspberries (I used frozen as they're a lot cheaper)

150g fresh peaches, sliced

50g flaked almonds

40g apricot jam (I like Bonne Maman)

Method:

1. First toast the almonds. You can buy them toasted already but I prefer to do it myself – just something about the smell that fills the kitchen. Preheat your oven to 180°C and spread the flaked almonds across a baking tray. Pop in the oven for two minutes at a time until the nuts are toasted to your liking.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.

3. Add the eggs one at a time (make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl in between each egg if you're using a freestanding mixer).

4. Add the vanilla and cinnamon, then sift in the flour and bicarb. Mix until everything is just combined.

5. Stir in the raspberries and pour into a lined, square tin. It's quite a thick mix so you may need to spread it out with a knife or the back of a spoon. Press the peach slices into the cake batter and bake for 30-40 minutes – mine took 38 minutes but it largely depends on your oven, so keep an eye from 30 minutes onwards.

6. Leave the cake to cool a little in the tin - about 10 minutes, then heat the jam in a small pan or the microwave. Spread the apricot glaze over the top of the cake and sprinkle the toasted flaked almonds evenly over the top. Optional: dust icing sugar over the top for that gorgeous almond croissant aesthetic.

If you make this cake please do let me know! You can find me on Instagram and Twitter @wnwrote ❤

Anna Cake Couture – Clifton, Bristol

We found Anna on a wet, windy December afternoon. From the outside this boutique-like cafe looked tiny; just one table and two chairs, a small counter and a blackboard menu. I wasn't interested, but Sarah insisted we go in, and I'm glad, or I might never have discovered this absolute gem of a cafe. This is where I take all my friends and family when they visit. Everyone loves it.

Anna opened in Clifton village in November last year and has since become a hit with locals and visitors alike. The staff are lovely, enthusiastic and tend to your every need. They care about what they do and it really makes a difference to the overall experience. I like trying new things so I was pleased when the waiter recommended the white peony tea on my first visit. He described it as a lighter version of green tea, and it was truly delicious in its delicateness.


We sat in the hidden seating area at the back of the cafe and watched Anna's team work their magic in the kitchen, just metres from our table. It made me want (more than I usually do) to buy my own place and spend my days baking croissants, cakes and macarons.

If you're going to Anna for the cake (of course you are) then you'll want to get there a few hours before they close - they make everything fresh and it sells fast. I experienced first hand the disappointment of pointing at a lemon meringue tart only to be told it was sold. As if cake can be reserved!

A strong claim, but I'm making it: you won't find prettier, more delectable cakes in Bristol - or, perhaps the whole UK.

And the tea was special, too. It came with a timer and the hot water and leaves were kept separate - vital in preventing over steeping.

Banoffee layer cake

Chai macaron and chocolate & walnut cookie

Sarah noted that not many cafes get both their drinks and cakes right, but Anna excels in  both avenues. Having been to this beautiful little cafe on a handful of occasions, I can vouch for the fact that they provide both well made sweet treats and good quality tea and coffee, and I can't wait to try even more of their offerings.You can find out more about Anna here - they also make wedding cakes and offer classes in baking, too.

Popup Cafe - Deal, Kent

When it was still cold enough to wear my winter coat (I know we all whinge but really, British summer isn't as bad as we make it out to be) I visited my very good friend Jess in Deal - a town I know well. Some of you may know that, despite having lived in Wales for the past 11 years (minus three years at university in Cheltenham), I was actually born in Dover, Kent, and spent the first 12 years of my life there. That's how I know Jess, and that's how I know Deal. But revisiting - for the first time in eight years - it was nothing like I remembered. The quiet town I had previously written off as boring now appealed to me as a place to discover all these amazing cafes, bars and coffee shops. I was in my absolute element.

Saturday morning I spent lazing in bed watching Friends while Jess went on a driving lesson. Attic rooms are the best for this, and I soaked up every minute of the rain tapping on the skylight window. But soon it was time to get up and brave the wind (Deal is a seaside town!) and head out for some food.

Jess insisted we go to Popup Cafe, a place that had initially opened as just that, a pop up. But it was so popular that it carried on - and I'm so glad. It wasn't too busy when we arrived at about 1 o'clock. We sat upstairs - a light and airy space that reminded me of an art room at school, with recipe books on the windowsill and tables and chairs dotted sporadically across the room. The decor was right up my street - stripped back but with dashes of colour and unique lampshades and a big mirror with writing on it on one of the walls.

A lot of cafes claim to make everything homemade these days, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're any good. However, trust me when I say Popup Cafe is genuinely good, homemade, quality food and drink. First there was the sausage roll and salad both Jess and I ordered...

The pastry encasing the sausage had the added treat of caramelised onions - clearly the way all sausage rolls should be done. It was served warm with a really tasty beetroot and fennel salad with red cabbage slaw - the flavour combination was spot on and servings were generous.

Of course I had room for more, so I ordered one of the doughnuts for which Popup Cafe is renowned. The choice was either jam or coconut and, as much as I love jam doughnuts, I wanted to try something new. I paired my coconut doughnut with a flat white - steamed to silky perfection, and polished it all off, no problem. When I think of homemade doughnuts I think of stiff, chewy spheres of dough, but these were puffed up and airy - like the best doughnut in the world, but better. The coconut cream was light and not too sweet, and I could probably have eaten five more.

I wanted to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner here, but we had a few more cafes to go to during my short visit. The staff here were great, though, and I'll definitely enjoy a warm welcome back when I'm next visiting.

Popup Cafe is right in the centre of Deal - just a twenty minute's drive from Dover. Find out more here. You can also follow them on Twitter @pop_up_cafe.

Riverhill Coffee Bar – Glasgow

Voted Yelp's "friendliest staff in Glasgow" award in 2014. Isn't that enough to make you pick this coffee shop over all the others?

Wandering back into the city after my lunch at The Hanoi Bike Shop I headed to the Riverhill Coffee Bar. Teeny tiny inside – bar seating only – it's not really one for soaking up the morning with a good book, but for homemade food and a decent range of drinks (which, let's face it, is what it's all about), this is your stop.

I wanted the window seat, which offered a quiet view of the busy street outside, but a guy was perched, waiting, coffee in hand, for his girlfriend. My only criticism is of this 'take-away' atmosphere the Riverhill Coffee Shop emanates.

On the counter: a pleasing amount of cakes to choose from. Instinctively, my eyes went straight to the thing I'd never seen before – the nanaimo bar – but it was the salt caramel brownie I couldn't resist.

Decadent and fudgey, with generous swirls of deliciously salted caramel dispersed throughout, half the brownie ended up wrapped in a napkin to be eaten later.

 

The coffee, too, was delicious.

I liked it here. The staff were, indeed, friendly, the food and drink was yummy, and despite my fleeting visit, I think I'll go back to the Riverhill Coffee Bar to try one of their savoury offerings. I went to the Gordon Street bar but there are branches in West Nile Street and Helensburgh, too. You can find out more on their website.

These photos are somewhat unrelated - but I took them on my way to the coffee shop, and wanted to share them to show those who don't know just how incredible Glasgow is. Enjoy.

Bob and Berts – Coleraine, Northern Ireland

While in Northern Ireland, Karen was determined to get us in the water and have a go at surfing... OK, I stuck with body boarding, but it was still something I had never done before. It was so much fun! After a chilled out first day, we got up on Thursday ready for a day on the waves. With the boards balanced on the roof of Karen's car, we travelled up to Coleraine on the north coast and got stuck in. Despite the vile-tasting seawater rushing up through my nose and down my throat after falling off my board a couple of times, I LOVED IT, and if you have never done it, go and do it!

I hadn't been to the beach since last summer and I couldn't wait to be beside the sea again. I feel like the coast is where I should end up. I was born in Dover, but moved to Wales when I was 12, so I never really made the most of living by the sea. Now when I'm on a beach, I find it so relaxing, even just watching the waves come in. It's such a natural kind of beauty and it's a great place to be with friends, and on your own too.

After a couple of hours in the water we headed back to the car, dried and changed and drove down the road for some food at Bob and Berts. I swear food never tasted so good. We were exhausted.

Bob and Berts is exclusive to Northern Ireland, and specialises in coffee, but serves food too – hot and cold, sweet and savoury – making it quite the hangout for passersby like us, as well as locals. Like Niki's, this place had so much to choose from and it took me a while to decide what to order.

There were even more cakes than the ones I photographed. Just look at them. That coffee cake was calling my name, but I needed something savoury first.

Everything was presented so beautifully – how gorgeous is the table centre piece?

I had worked up quite the appetite in the sea so I wanted something nice and savoury to fill me up, as well as warm drink to warm my insides, and I can never say no to brie and bacon...

It came with two side salads of my choice so I picked the beetroot and orange and the salsa which were really good. Bethan and I also got fries to share but they were gone before I could take a photo.

My mocha came with a little flake balanced on the rim of the glass – so sweet! And I can honestly say that this was the nicest mocha I have ever tasted. EVER. You know how some places make it and it just tastes like milky coffee? This was like a proper hot chocolate with a hint of coffee. Exactly how it should be.

I swear, food never tasted so good as it did after spending two hours body boarding in the sea. It's not even like we were working that hard, it was so much fun, but I was SO hungry and cold afterwards that my first visit to Bob and Berts was one to remember and I'll definitely be returning when I'm next in Northern Ireland. 

Have you been to Bob and Berts? There are three of them in Northern Ireland and I highly recommend you go and grab a coffee, brunch or late lunch in one of them. Its atmosphere was relaxed and homely – similar to Niki's – maybe it's an Irish thing? Find out more about Bob and Berts here.

Morning Fuel at Tinderbox – Glasgow

I can't figure out why I love shopping. I don't spend lots of money on stuff, but I enjoy wandering around cities I have known forever, and finding new places to enjoy. I spent the weekend in Glasgow visiting family, and it was the most relaxing break. Every day I use a computer, so it was wonderful to leave mine at home and spend time with people and see things.

On Friday I spent the day in the city centre, doing a bit of shopping for a camping trip next month (August is going to be the best month) and awkwardly admiring trainers (I do not fit in in sports shops). But like every time I go shopping, I have to find somewhere good for breakfast first.

I wandered out to Ingram Street, a ten minute walk from the city centre, to find Tinderbox, (a place Grind My Beans raves about). The place was fairly empty, but buzzing nonetheless. The staff were busily making coffees, stocking up the fridge for the day and chatting away to each other in their bea-utiful Glaswegian accents.

Of course I ordered an Americano, but it took me a while to decide what to eat. If it hadn't been 9am, I would have picked a slice of the jaffa cake, but pastries are (obviously) more breakfast friendly. I eventually chose a pain au raisin, the best kind of pastry, according to the cute guy serving me.

If you're on a budget, Tinderbox is your next stop. I paid about £3 altogether, the coffee alone coming in at £1.65.

I could see an upstairs seating area from the bar, but it wasn't until I walked to the end to pick up my coffee that a whole seating area around the back was revealed. I sat down at a small table and took in everything around me: a latte art wall of fame, notice board, gorgeous furniture (am I old and boring for saying that?) and quirky wallpaper. The atmosphere was chilled but vibrant. It was nice and quiet, but I can imagine it fills up quickly as the day goes on, and even more so on weekends.

A Smiths-esque soundtrack with hints of Florence and the Machine and Shura complemented the gorgeous interior, making the whole experience beautifully uplifting.

Do you ever feel like running away as soon as you step inside some coffee shops? Tinderbox was so wonderfully unpretentious, a refreshing change from the usual 'hipster' hangouts. I felt welcomed and at home. The staff were so friendly, but who isn't in Glasgow?

But back to the food and drink. The coffee was strong, hot and perked me up, but I think I need to break the habit of ordering small – I always end up wanting another one. I think one day I will have to venture into the world of milky coffee so I can get a nice picture of the latte art. 

The pastry was full of juicy, sweet raisins, but I would have liked a bit more custard in the middle (Coffee #1 has yet to be beat). Having said that, Tinderbox is way up there with Timberyard. I loved it there. I can imagine going back with a group of friends and spending an afternoon playing board games and people watching out of the enormous windows. 

If you're ever in the area, pop into Tinderbox and see for yourself just how great this place is. I know I'll be back again soon. You can find out more about Tinderbox here.

Cosy Coffee #1 – Abergavenny

Most weekends I am lucky enough to get the chance to visit a coffee shop or two. I love coffee, and I love drinking it while out in town or during a day spent shopping. My sister Emily came over on Saturday and we took a trip into town with baby OH for a walk. It began to rain so we took cover in the ever so cosy Coffee #1.

Emily got a deluxe hot chocolate. The best thing about Coffee #1's hot chocolate is that it isn't too sweet. They make it with green & black's drinking chocolate which is very rich and luxurious.
I love how much there is to choose from at Coffee #1 – I was so tempted by the Bounty hot chocolate, but I really needed my coffee fix and the lemon tart looked like the perfect partner...

Mm mm mmmm. Lemon flavoured things can be a bit hit or miss. I love the zesty, sweet but not too sweet kind of lemon and this tart was exactly that – so creamy and melt in the mouth.

Olivia slept for the whole time, and it was no wonder – the rain outside and the warm, homely feel inside Coffee #1 was so relaxing. It is one of my favourite coffee shops (the one in Monmouth is also gorgeous) and I highly recommend it if you want a change from the other chains. It is definitely one of the homeliest coffee shops in town and the quality, quantity and cost of their products are all fantastic. Have you ever been to Coffee #1? What's your go-to coffee shop when you need your coffee/hot chocolate fix?