For the Cake

• 250 g gluten-free plain flour
• 145 g gluten-free self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon xanthum gum
• 1¼ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 210 g unsalted butter
• 500 g caster sugar
• 125 ml lemon juice
• zest of ½ a lemon
• 5 eggs
• 315 ml butter milk
• 200 g blueberries (reserve 24 for decorating)

For the Frosting

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• 500 g icing sugar
• 225 g full-fat cream cheese
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 × 20 cm sandwich tins

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter and flour the cake tins and put a circle of greaseproof paper in the base of each.

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. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, and then lift them out and allow to cool completely on a rack.

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.