We don’t know about you, but as soon as we see the first hints of spring we get an itch to pick up the bowl and spatula. Perhaps it’s the colourful produce that lines the aisles or all the chocolatey treats on offer. There’s no denying we love cake at G&G, and this easy recipe from Ottolenghi’s Simple is one of our favourites. Packed with a fruity punch, enjoy with a cup of tea out in the garden on a sunny spring afternoon. Bliss!
Ingredients:
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
190g caster sugar
2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then juice to get 2 tbsp
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten
90g self-raising flour, sifted
⅛ tsp salt
110g ground almonds
200g blueberries
70g icing sugar
Essential kit:
You will need a loaf tin (11 x 21cm) and a free-standing food mixer.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Grease and line the loaf tin and set aside.
Place the butter, sugar, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and vanilla in the bowl of a free-standing food mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat on a high speed for 3–4 minutes, until light, then lower the speed to medium.
Add the eggs, in small additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl. The mix may split a little, but don’t worry: it’ll come back together. Add the flour, salt and almonds in three additions. Finally, fold in 150g of blueberries, by hand, and pour into the prepared loaf tin.
Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining 50g of blueberries over the top of the cake. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until the cake is golden-brown but still uncooked. Cover loosely with tin foil and continue to bake for 25–30 minutes, until risen and cooked. Test by inserting a knife into the middle: it’s ready if it comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and set aside, in its tin, to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
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