Lemon & Blueberry Almond Slice

What do you do when you find you have arrived at the airport 24hrs too soon to pick up your guest and you just baked a cake that morning for the occasion. This is the situation that I found myself in on Tuesday, muppet that I am, but better then 24hrs too late, hey? Anyway with this dessert cake there was no need to worry that it wouldn't still be great a couple of days later. It is rich and dense and moist and will keep for days without drying out (I have been keeping mine in the fridge and it is still ok).  I am not sure if my recipe should really be described as a cake as it is more suited to a pudding. It only uses eggs as a raising agent and so really isn't light and fluffy like a cake. Serve warm or cold with yoghurt if you can have dairy otherwise try it with summer fruits such as fresh blueberries, raspberries or strawberries.

 

Lemon & Blueberry Almond Slice (Serves 6-8)

Can be Vegetarian, dairy free, gluten free

Ingredients

200g/1 scant cup/7oz Butter or dairy free margarine

200g/1 scant cup/7oz Brown sugar 

3 Large eggs or 4 small eggs

40g/1/3rd cup plain gluten free flour or 5tbs rice flour (or if you aren't gf use 40g all purpose flour)

140g/1 1/2 cup/5oz Ground almonds

Zest of 2 lemons

125g/1 cup/5 oz blueberries

2-3tbs of Lemon juice

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 360F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a cake tin that is about 18-20cm/7-8" diameter.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and a little fluffy. Use a hand mixer or food processor to make it easier. Add the eggs slowly and mix in. Add some of the flour if it starts to curdle/separate. Add the remaining flour, ground almonds and lemon zest and beat for several minutes to get as much air into the mix as possible. The mixture should be the consistency of a slightly wet cake batter. 
• Place the blueberries on the base of the cake tin and pour over the cake mix and ensure the blueberries are distributed evenly through the cake. Put in oven and bake for around 45-50mins. When the cake is cooked it will be golden brown on top and a skewer or knife inserted into the middle of the cake will come away clean with no cake batter sticking to it. Remove from the oven and allow cool slightly and then pour the lemon juice evenly over the top of the cake. 
• Serve warm or room temperature with fresh fruit and or yoghurt or dairy alternative.