Lemon Blueberry Mini Cakes

Have you ever owned a favorite cookbook that you literally want to make everything in it? That is how Yotam Ottolenghi’s “Sweet” is for me. It is filled with gorgeous photos and recipes of his signature baked goods from his popular restaurants in London. Everything in this book looks so delicious and amazing but at the same time very approachable. Those of us, with even a few basic baking skills under our belts, can successfully bake most of his recipes.

A few weeks ago I went ahead and made the Orange Honey Madeleines which I must say came out down right fabulous. Too braggy? I was all set to share them with you in my next post, when his Lemon Blueberry Tea Cakes caught my eye. They looked so darn cute in the photo, I really had no choice. Plans for the day were set aside and I went to the market, stocked up on lemons and blueberries and baked off some of those little darlings that very afternoon.

Of course in the end, how they taste is more important than the cuteness factor. So let me assure you, that these little cakes do not disappoint. If you are a lemon fan such as I am, you will love the moist buttery lemon flavor that each bite brings. The recipe calls for almond flour which makes the cakes tender with a gorgeous depth of flavor.

I also want to point out how easy these mini cakes are to make. The batter comes together quickly, (don’t let the almond flour scare you away. You will find it in the gluten free section of the grocery store). And you do not need any special baking pans. In fact, the batter is spooned into an ordinary muffin tin. The genius of these little cakes is after baking, you just turn them upside down and drizzle the lemon glaze on the top. Or what is now the top, as not to confuse things.

Serve these little show stoppers at your next brunch or tea or as a clever dessert when the need for a clever but delicious dessert arises.

Lemon Blueberry Mini Cakes

Print

Lemon Blueberry Mini Cakes

Makes 12 mini cakes

Author Cakewalk Kitchen

Ingredients

• 13 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperture – 190g
• 3/4 cup plus 3½ tablespoons granulated sugar – 190g
• 1 teaspoons lemon zest or the zest of one lemon
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups almond flour (or almond meal) – 190g
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon – all purpoes flour – 45g
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 pint fresh blueberries

Icing

• 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar or 160g
• 2½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

To make the cakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with butter. Lightly flour and set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and zest on medium high until light and fluffy. Should take about 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Alternately, in 3 or 4 increments, add in the eggs and almond flour. Mix until well blended. 

4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, blend the dry ingredients into the batter just until incorporated. 

5. Add in the lemon juice and mix in until the batter comes back together. The batter will be very light and look slightly fluffy. 

6. Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups. Then press a few (about 3) blueberries into each and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges will brown and a cake tester should come up clean. See photos.

7. Cool for 10 minutes then carefully tap out the cakes on to a cooling rack so they are upside down. Gently use a butter knife to coax them out, if they stick a little. Cool completely before icing. Decorate with a few fresh blueberries on the top.

To make the icing.

1. Blend together the confectioner’s sugar and the lemon juice, until you have a smooth but thick icing. Using a small spoon, drizzle the icing on top of each cake, letting it slowly drip down the sides.

Recipe Notes

• The original recipe calls for Almond Meal. I substituted the finer ground Almond Flour as I could not find Almond Meal in my area. Either will work fine. 
• If you have a digital scale, you may want to weigh out your ingredients for more accurate measurements.
• The batter is very different than most cake batters. Very light and airy. 
• The icing took me a couple of tries to get right. The trick is to make it a bit thicker than you think it should be and then gently use a spoon to encourage the icing to go down the sides.
• If you do not plan on serving these the same day you make them, then store unfrosted, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

More Cakewalk Cakes

Apple Berry Cake

Lemon Cornmeal Cake