As the warm weather finally feels like summer, people are heading to their gardens to enjoy the sunshine. And what’s better than a grilled sausage or burger followed by a delicious sweet dessert?
Instead of opting for the usual ice cream or going to the trouble of making a pavlova, why not try Nigella Lawson’s ‘easy’ lemon cake with blueberry compote?
On her website, the celebrity chef praised the texture and flavor of this light pastry: “This cake has a miraculous texture – almost like a super fluffy, airy pancake – and a delicate flavor; it’s scented with lemon rather than tingling with it.”
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She added: “And even though there is coconut milk in the cake, it’s more like sweetness than tropical exuberance.”
“Although it’s a three-way affair, it’s ridiculously easy to make: the perfect pudding when friends come over for dinner.”
The recipe serves eight to 12 people, so there will be plenty for everyone, and it can be cooked in just half an hour. The recipe is taken from Nigella’s cookbook, AT MY TABLE,” reports the Express.
How to make Nigella Lawson’s Lemon and Blueberry Compote Cake
Ingredients
225 grams of plain flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
Half a teaspoon of baking soda
Half teaspoon of fine sea salt
150 milliliters of vegetable oil (plus more for greasing)
150 grams of powdered sugar
275 grams of coconut milk (see recipe introduction)
Two unwaxed lemons (finely grated zest, plus 3 tablespoons of 15 ml juice)
A teaspoon of vanilla extract
150 grams of blueberries
A tablespoon of 15 ml of fresh lemon juice
A tablespoon of 15 ml of caster sugar
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
250 grams of coconut milk yogurt
A teaspoon of vanilla extract
2½ teaspoons icing sugar
Method
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First, preheat the oven to 180°C and grease the sides and line the base of a 20cm springform pan or a 20-inch springform pan.
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Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
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In a large pitcher or bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and coconut milk, before adding the lemon zest and juice and vanilla extract.
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Next, pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine before pouring into the cake pan. Bake for 30 to 25 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cook in the pan before removing it. It may sink, but that’s normal.
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Now it’s time to make the compote. First, put the blueberries, lemon juice, caster sugar and 50ml / 3 tbsp cold water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn the pan down to a low heat and stir gently for a few minutes until the blueberries are soft.
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Remove the pan from the heat. Mix the cornstarch with 1.5 teaspoons of cold water in a separate cup until the mixture is thick. Add this paste to the blueberries and stir. Return to the heat for 30 seconds or until the sauce has thickened. Add more water if it has become too thick. Once the mixture is finished, pour it into a small heatproof pitcher to cool.
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Now it’s time to assemble the cake. To do this, first remove the cake from the cake pan, inverting it onto a plate or rack.
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Mix the coconut milk yoghurt and vanilla and pour the icing sugar through a sieve before sprinkling it over the yoghurt mixture. Spread the filling over the cake. Pour the compote over it and serve immediately.
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