Who doesn’t love a loaf cake? They are quick and easy to put together, pretty much foolproof and can be made in a multitude of flavours. I’ve been making a few loaf cakes lately and this is one of my favourites. Although they are not in season, blueberries seem to be fairly cheap and abundant in the shops at the moment… and you can always use frozen as I did.
Chef’s tip: Weighing everything out the night before ensures everything is at room temp and it will be a 5 minute job to make a lovely fresh loaf for breakfast or morning tea.
Preheat the oven to 160c for a fan oven and 180c for non fan. Butter and line an 8’’ loaf tin.
Beat the butter, vanilla and sugar in a mixer with a paddle attachment until very light and creamy.
While this is working crack the eggs into a separate bowl and lightly mix.
Mix the flour, ground almonds and salt in another bowl, then zest and juice the lemon.
Once the butter mix is light and creamy start adding the egg a bit at a time, incorporating it all before adding the next bit.
Next add the lemon, it might split a bit but don’t worry. Quickly add the dry ingredients and mix for about 10 seconds only, just long enough to bring it all together. Not overmixing it will keep it nice and light.
Fold in 80% of the blueberries by hand (there’s no need to defrost if frozen) and spoon into the loaf tin. Smooth over then press the rest of the berries on top along with the flaked almonds and put on a tray and into the oven for about 40 – 45 minutes. Turn down a bit if it looks like it’s cooking too quickly, and check at 30 minutes by testing with a skewer or thin knife, if it comes out clean it’s ready, if not leave it a bit longer.
When cool it can be dusted with icing sugar – or brush a bit of warmed apricot jam over the top to give it a nice glaze.
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