Medium
10–12
By Miss South
Published 2014
This beautiful cake is rich with lemon and blueberries and happens to be gluten-free because that’s the flour that suits it best. Anyone will enjoy it whether they can eat gluten or not. Like all Paulina’s cakes, it is simple and luxurious without any window dressing. Perfect to eat on a warm summer’s day with homemade lemonade, but made in the winter it will remind you of brighter days!
Doves Farm make both xanthum gum and gluten-free flours, and their products are widely available in wholefood shops and supermarkets.
Mix the two flours, xanthum gum, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy – this is easiest with an electric hand whisk or stand mixer. Add the lemon juice and zest and beat until just combined. The mixture will now look curdled, but don’t panic. Beat the eggs in one at a time.
Sift the dry ingredients into the egg and butter mix. Add in the buttermilk and mix it all slowly until just combined. Toss the blueberries in and mix on a higher speed until the batter is smooth and sticky. Some berries will burst and others will remain whole.
Divide the mixture between the three cake tins, smoothing the tops down.
While they’re cooling, make the frosting: make sure the unsalted butter is at room temperature before you start. Put it and the icing sugar in a large bowl and mix slowly until the mixture thickens. Add the cream cheese and continue mixing slowly. Once it is thoroughly combined, mix more quickly until the frosting becomes pale and smooth. Mix in the lemon zest, and then put it in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest.
To assemble the cake, use some of the cooled frosting to sandwich the three layers together. Then apply a very thin layer around the whole cake with a palette knife or spatula. This is the crumbing process and it helps to stick all the crumbs to the sides and top of the cake before you put on the final layer of frosting.
Leave the remaining frosting at room temperature, but put the cake in the fridge to set for 30 minutes. Once the sides and top are firm to touch, apply the frosting to the cake. Once the top and sides are frosted, decorate the top with the reserved blueberries and serve.
© 2014 All rights reserved. Published by Kitchen Press.