I make cakes relatively rarely but when I do, you know it’s going to be a good one. My biggest gripe with most cakes is that I find them to be a bit too sweet all around, I don’t particularly like buttercream, and the texture is often too uniform. But I’m not here to complain about cakes–I’m here to offer solutions to all of these pitfalls and offer up a cake recipe that will be loved by both cake-lovers and naysayers alike.
This cake riffs off of the general template of my lemon thyme cake with blackberry compote. A flavorful cake, a creamy and slightly sweetened whipped topping, and bright fruity compote on top. For this blueberry variation, I went for a lemon almond olive oil cake. The cake includes almond flour and cornmeal for a nice bit of texture and flavor, and the lemon helps balance out and compliment the flavor of the sweet blueberries in the topping. I adapted the genoise sponge for this cake from Sohla’s recipe in her cookbook Start Here. Instead of my classic mascarpone whipped cream, this cake uses a Greek yogurt whipped cream. The Greek yogurt adds a slight tang (not too much, though), which offsets the natural sweetness of the blueberry. The Greek yogurt has the added benefit of serving as a stabilizer for the whipped cream, helping it retain its shape and texture.
Finally, this cake is generously topped with a blueberry sumac compote. Since blueberries are some of the sweeter members of the berry family, I found that the zippy flavor of sumac is the perfect pairing and helps bring out more flavor dimensions. As for most of my blueberry recipes, this compote also has a hint of lemon juice and gin to further accentuate the blueberry flavor. And if you’re feeling a bit extra and want some crunch on top, you can top this cake with toasted sliced almonds. After eating this cake, you’ll never go back to the classic buttercream.
Lemon almond cake with blueberry sumac compote
Course: Cakes and custardsDifficulty: Baking session1
9-inch cake1
hour10
minutes30
minutesThis cake is positively dreamy, with a lemon-almond base, a slightly tart Greek yogurt whipped cream, and a zingy, flavorful blueberry compote. It’s a perfect blend of flavors and textures without being overly sweet. The method for the genoise cake is adapted from Sohla El-Waylly’s cookbook Start Here.
Ingredients
- Blueberry compote
1 pint blueberries
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp gin (optional)
3 Tbsp water + 2 tsp (divided)
pinch of salt
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sumac
- Genoise cake
1/2 cup (55g) almond flour
1/3 cup (45g) cornmeal
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp (100g) cake or all-purpose flour
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
zest of two lemons
4 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup (70g) olive oil
- Lemon syrup
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- Whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (4 oz) full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
handful of sliced almonds, toasted (optional)
Instructions
- Make the blueberry compote
- Add one cup of the blueberries to a pan along with the sugar, lemon juice, 3 Tbsp water, gin, and salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the blueberries have softened and turned jammy.
- Stir in the remaining cup of blueberries and cook for just about 3 minutes, until the blueberries have slightly softened (if you bit into one, it shouldn’t have that raw crispness).
- Stir together the cornstarch and 2 tsp of water in a small bowl. Pour into the berries and cook for a minute or two, until the compote has thickened. Stir in the sumac, pour into a container, cover, and refrigerate until fully chilled.
- Make the cake and cake soak
- Add the almond flour to a saute pan and toast over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden. Pour into a bowl and add the flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment. Grease the parchment and sides of the pan with butter or oil.
- Fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. While doing that, add the eggs, egg yolk, lemon zest, and sugar to a bowl and beat together until there are no streaks. Then place the bowl on top of the pan with simmering water and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is warm to the touch and most of the sugar has dissolved (it’s okay if you can still feel some granules).
- Then remove from the bowl from the heat. With a stand mixer or electric beater, whip the warm mixture on high speed for 2-3 minutes (it will take longer with a hand mixer), until pale yellow, doubled in volume, and it forms a thick ribbon when the beater is lifted. Reduce the speed to medium and very slowly add in the olive oil.
- Gently sprinkle the dry ingredients on top and fold it in until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the pan and give the pan a firm tap against the counter to pop any large bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly brown along the edge and if gently pressed in the center with your finger, it leaves an impression.
- While the cake is baking, pour the lemon juice and sugar for the lemon syrup into a small bowl. Pour in very hot water and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Once the cake has been removed from the oven, let cool 5 minutes and then generously brush the top with the syrup. Allow to continue cooling completely in the pan.
- Make the topping and assemble
- When ready to serve add the heavy cream, Greek yogurt, vanilla, and sugar to a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer of whisk by hand until medium peaks have formed and the mixture feels stiff enough to hold its shape.
- Remove the cake from the pan and flip over again onto a serving platter. Generously spread the whipped cream on top. Stir the blueberry compote to loosen it up and spoon it over the top of the cake. Top with toasted almonds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Make ahead note: The compote can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The cake can be made a day in advance and covered tightly in the pan with plastic wrap before adding the topping. The lemon syrup can be made several days in advance.
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