Berries are always a treat to my eyes whenever I find them in the market. Their vibrant colours and cute looks often compel me to buy them. However, I am not used to eat the berries just by themselves so love to try out them in different recipes. Once I found this tempting blueberry cake recipes in my good old baking book, I did not spare a second to bake it. Here comes the result in a spongy, soft and little sour Blueberry and lemon drizzle cake.

Ingredients for 12 pieces :

1. Softened butter – 225 gm. + extra for greasing
2. Golden caster sugar – 225 gm.
3. Egg (beaten) – 4
4. Self-raising flour (sifted) – 250 gm.
5. Ground almonds – 25 gm.
6. Fresh blueberries – 200 gm.
7. Freshly grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

For topping :

1. Juice of 2 lemons
2. Golden caster sugar – 115 gm.

Procedure :

Grease and line the bottom of a 20 cm./8 inch square cake tin/oven proof dish.

Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.

Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour toward the end to prevent curdling.

Beat in the lemon rind, then fold in the remaining flour and almonds with enough of the lemon juice to give a good dropping consistency.

Fold in three-quarters of the blueberries and turn into the prepared tin. Smooth the surface, then scatter the remaining blueberries on top.

Bake in a preheated oven at180ºC/350ºF for 1 hour, or until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

To make the topping, dissolve the sugar in lemon juice either by putting the mixture in microwave or on stove (over low flame).

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick all over with a fine skewer up to the bottom of it and pour over the lemon mixture.

Cool in the tin until completely cold, then cut into 12 squares to serve.