Here is a simple one-bowl cake with whipped cream and basic icing. If you always leave a glob of icing on your plate, you will
appreciate the harmony of the various textures and flavours of this perfectly
well balanced cake. The sweetness and the amount of the icing are just
right. Composed with blueberries in
mind, if you are thinking of substituting the blueberries with some other type
of berries, especially with raspberries, you will have to sugar and drain the
fruit first. The crumb of this cake is perfect... buttermilk does wonders for
cakes.
BLUEBERRY ALMOND CAKE
Cake:
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp pure almond extract
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
225 ml [not quite 1 cup] 3.25% buttermilk
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
3-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, soft
Fruit Layer:
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp sugar
2 cups fresh blueberries
Almond Icing:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp pure almond extract
2 cups icing sugar
- Wash the blueberries and drain them.
- Transfer to a clean kitchen towel to dry completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray the bottom and sides of two 9-inch, spring form cake pans.
- Line the bottoms and sides of the pan with parchment paper. The paper will stick to the sprayed pan.
- Place the 3 eggs and 2 yolks in a medium sized bowl.
- Add the almond and vanilla extract and 1/8 cup of buttermilk.
- Whisk well and set aside.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend.
- Add the remaining buttermilk and the butter to the dry ingredients.
- Blend on low speed.
- Increase to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes until light fluffy.
- Add the egg mixture in three parts, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Do not over mix.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared pans.
- Bake the cake layers for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Place the cake pans on wire racks.
- Let the cakes cool down completely.
- Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and fold in 2 Tbsp of sugar.
- Unhook the spring mechanism and remove the rings from the cakes.
- Grasp the bottom parchment on one cake, pull off and carefully slide it on a platter. [do not invert]
- Spread the top of the cake with the whipped cream.
- Arrange 1-1/2 cups of the blueberries on top of the whipped cream layer.
- With the flat side up place the second cake on top.
- Press down very lightly.
- Do not spread the whipped cream on the sides or the icing will not stick to the cake.
- Chill for an hour.
- Meanwhile whip the butter and the almond extract.
- Gradually add the icing sugar.
- Continue whipping for 4 more minutes.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and spread a thin crumb coating all over.
- Chill again for 15 minutes.
- Remove cake from the fridge and spread the remaining icing on it.
- Place the remaining blueberries on the top, slightly pushing them into the icing.
- Chill the assembled cake for half an hour.
- Slice and serve.
