2heaped teaspoons(2heaped teaspoons)baking powder(ensure gluten-free if necessary)
¼teaspoon(¼teaspoon)bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
100g(1cup)blueberries(fresh or frozen) ***
For the frosting
400g(14oz)tin of full-fat coconut milk****
2tablespoons(2tablespoons)lemon juice
2tablespoons(2tablespoons)maple syrup(or sub any other sweetener)
½teaspoon(½teaspoon)vanilla extract
To decorate:
150g(1 ½cups)fresh blueberries
Instructions
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).
Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and ground almonds.
Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry.
Add the fresh blueberries and fold in gently - make sure you don’t crush them.
Transfer mixture into a greased baking tin lined with baking paper (I used a 7inch springform baking tin).
Bake in oven for around 30 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Once out the oven, leave to cool completely on a wire rack before applying the frosting.
For the frosting:
You’ll need to keep your tin of coconut milk in the fridge overnight for the rich creamy bit to separate from the watery bit at the bottom. Make sure it is full fat coconut milk, otherwise this separation won’t happen and you won’t be able to make this cream!
Open the tin upside down – the coconut cream will be at the bottom and you can just pour off the watery liquid (save this for adding to soups or smoothies).
Place the thick, creamy part into a bowl.
Add the lemon juice, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
Use an electric whisk (or a manual one and a lot of elbow grease) to whip up the coconut cream until light and fluffy.
To decorate:
Carefully spread the frosting over the top of the cake.
Top with fresh blueberries.
Best when fresh but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Notes
*The lemon juice is crucial as its acidity needs to react with the alkali bicarbonate of soda to make the sponge fluffy. If you don’t want to use lemon juice, substitute with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar instead.**You can alternatively use almond flour.***If using frozen blueberries, be careful when mixing them into the batter. Otherwise, the juice from the blueberries could bleed into the rest of the batter and spoil the colour of your cake. ****You can alternatively use 200g (7oz) coconut yogurt.Although this cake does taste best when fresh, it does keep well covered in the fridge for up to a few days. For super fluffy frosting, you should make it fresh just before serving, but the frosting will retain its shape and texture for a good few days.
Tips for baking with lemons
For optimum lemon flavour, I would recommend using fresh lemons (not ones that you've had sitting in your fruit bowl for weeks!) and organic ones if possible.
You have to be careful when baking with lemon juice, as the acidity and lemon flavour can really vary depending on the lemons you use.
I would recommend tasting the lemon juice you're using and adjusting the amount of lemon juice you use accordingly.
For the lemon zest, make sure you use unwaxed lemons.