I'm one of those weird people that prefers a fruity dessert to something super sweet and chocolatey. I do like chocolate, but one square is enough to satisfy my craving. And chocolate cake might be my worst nightmare (other than the Wagamama wasabi chocolate fudge cake, OMG). So when I create a desert, it has to be something more fruit-forward and tangy. Anything with lemon is my happy place and so this lemon and blueberry loaf cake with a tangy lemon drizzle glaze is a dream come true for me. I highly recommend it with a cup of tea in the sunshine for a sweet afternoon treat. Obviously, since breast cancer, I am limiting my sugar intake, but sometimes you also need to remember to make allowances for happiness. And a slice of this brought me a lot of that. So really it balances out the bad. And make sure to use good quality organic ingredients in all your baking and you'll be on the right track.
You can easily double this recipe and make another one for a neighbor or friend to brighten their day too.
You will need:
FOR THE CAKE -
1/2 Cup whole milk
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
2 Cups all-purpose flour (plus extra to dust the blueberries so they don't sink in the cake)
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/4 Tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Cup blueberries (can use frozen if you prefer)
1 Stick butter, softened
1 Cup castor sugar
2 large eggs
FOR THE GLAZE -
1 cup powdered sugar
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 F
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Spray tin with a little non-stick baking spray first. I often use an organic coconut oil spray.
In a measuring jug, measure out your 1/2 cup of milk. Add in the zest and juice of the lemon, the vanilla extract, and whisk. It will curdle, don't worry, and trust the process.
In another bowl, whisk together your flour (sifted for an airy sponge), with the baking soda and salt. Then in another small bowl, toss together your blueberries in a touch of flour to coat them which prevents them from dropping to the bottom of the cake during baking. (Got that tip from Queen Ina Garten).
Next, cream your softened butter and sugar together for 3 minutes in either a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with an electric whisk. Once light and fluffy, add in your first egg and whisk until combined, then add in your second egg and combine.
While the mixer is still on add in 1/2 of your milk mixture, then 1/2 of your flour mixture. Once combined, add in the next half of your milk mixture and combine, then your remaining flour mixture. Make sure to scrape down the sides with a spatula in between each.
Now remove the bowl from the mixer and hand fold in your blueberries.
Transfer the cake batter into your prepared loaf tin and then pop it into the oven for 50-60 minutes until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Once ready, turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool. And then on to a serving platter.
To make the glaze, sift your powdered sugar into a bowl. Add in your lemon zest and juice and whisk to combine. The glaze should be thick but pourable. Add in 1 tbsp at a time of the lemon juice. You can always add more. But you can't add less. Spoon it over the loaf cake while it's still a little warm so it seeps into the cake.
Once cooled, serve with a cup of tea in the afternoon for a little sweet pick me up.