Serving afternoon tea? Make your centrepiece with this impressive cake. Tangy, vibrant lemon harmonises with sweet blueberry in this light sponge which is coated with a delicate glaze and served with a punchy compote.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 10
Special Equipment: 23 cm bunt cake tin and electric stand or hand mixer
Ingredients:
Sponge
225g softened butter
225g caster sugar
225g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
1½ tsp baking powder
4 large free-range eggs
150g blueberries
The zest of two large lemons.
Drizzle
250g icing sugar
The zest of one large lemon
The juice of two large lemons
Compote
150g blueberries
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
Cake
Preheat oven to 170℃ (160℃ fan). Liberally grease your bundt tin. Err on the side of over-greasing here, the cake will stick in all those nooks and crannies without plenty of butter.
Combine the flour and baking soda in a small bowl.
Using a stand mixer or electric whisk combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is pale yellow and light.
To the butter and sugar add the eggs, one at a time, making sure they are well combined.
Then introduce the flour, a tablespoon at a time until you have a smooth mixture the consistency of yoghurt.
Put the blueberries into the bowl that the flour was in and coat with the flour for dusting. This will stop them sinking to the bottom. Once coated add them to the cake mixture with the grated lemon zest.
Very gently use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold the fruit into the batter until evenly distributed.
Gently, still, spoon the mixture into your prepared bundt tin. Use a spoon or spatula to even out the surface. Place the tin into the centre of the oven and bake for 35 - 40 minutes. When it’s ready a skewer or knife should come out of the cake clean.
Glaze
Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl and slowly stir in the lemon juice. Leave to set. Refresh with a little more lemon juice if it’s too firm when you come to serve.
Compote
Place the blueberries, half the lemon juice and sugar in a small pan. Heat at a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Keep at a gentle simmer until the fruit has started to break up. Add the remaining lemon juice to taste.
Take it off the heat depending on how you like jam/compote. 10 minutes for a rough and rustic preserve, 20 minutes for a smooth jelly.
When cool transfer to a serving bowl.
Assembly
Once the cake is baked through leave it to cool on a wire rack for fifteen minutes. Then carefully turn it out onto a serving plate.
Drizzle all over with the glaze and serve immediately alongside the blueberry compote.
