This is a very tasty cake, wonderfully moist, flavoured with vanilla, almond, orange zest and full of juicy berries. Traditionally, the fruit in this changes with the seasons, when sliced apricots or peaches, apples or pears, blackberries or gooseberries can be added instead of the blueberries.
The recipe is adapted from Sesame & Spice by Anne Shooter.
Ingredients:
115 g unsalted butter or margarine, softened
115 g demerara sugar
3 eggs, separated
2 tbsp lemon juice (or milk, or orange juice)
1 x 8 g sachet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
1/2 tsp almond essence
grated zest of 1 orange (or lemon if preferred)
125 g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
400 g blueberries
flaked almonds for sprinkling
icing sugar for dusting
Method:
Cream the butter, demerara and vanilla sugar with an electric mixer until thick and mousse-like.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until just combined.
Beat in the milk or juice, vanilla extract (if adding), almond essence and orange or lemon zest.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks using a spotlessly clean whisk.
Fold in gently the flour sifted with soda into the yolk mixture.
Very carefully mix in the egg whites.
Fold in the blueberries, dusted with some flour.
Pour the mixture into greased and lined round 20 cm tin, scatter the flaked almonds on top.
Bake in a preheated oven (180 C, fan 160 C) for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Leave to cool before transferring onto a plate. Dust with some icing sugar before serving.
Enjoy with a nice cup of tea or coffee!
Bon Appetit!
