Fancy Cake

Well, this is not so much a fancy cake as a plain one that looks partyish. It is just an almond sponge leavened with whisked egg whites and baked in a brioche mould. It looks wonderful, intrinsically celebratory, which is why I do it. Added to any plate of fruit – fresh or thawed frozen – you can serve it after dinner or lunch. It’s no harder to make than a round cake; it’s just that the fancy mould (and try to find a non-stick one) makes it, illogically, look as if you’ve taken about ten t