Raspberry, almond and sour cream bread

OK, I have a confession to make. When this came out of the oven, the smell was so good I actually stood over the cake for several minutes just breathing in the delicious aroma of raspberry and almond. It made me chuckle at myself for being so weird... but then I just had to have another sniff! And the taste... it beats the smell.  This is SO good. Try it. You won't be disappointed.

Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker. Thank you Joy!  

Ingredients

4 oz unsalted butter, softened

7 oz sugar

½ tsp almond extract

2 eggs

9 oz self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

½  tsp salt

200ml/ 7 fl oz sour cream

8 oz fresh raspberries

4 oz flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175°C and grease and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf tin.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. 
5. Add the sour cream, and beat to combine.
6. Toast the flaked almonds by placing them on a baking sheet in the oven (or under a hot grill) for a couple of minutes (keep an eye on them so they don’t burn).
7. Crush half the raspberries with the back of a spoon, and fold into the cake mixture.
8. Add the whole raspberries and toasted almonds, fold together, then pour the batter into the prepared tin and place in the centre of the preheated oven.
9. If you like, after 10 minutes in the oven remove the cake and run a sharp knife down the centre of the loaf, so it splits like a proper loaf of bread.
10. Bake in total for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. 
11. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.