Flourless Lemon Cake with Blueberry Compote
There is something magical about a lemon cake in spring. I set my heart of getting one that is super lemony. Rich with almonds. About 3 delicious tries later, I have settled for this lovely flourless lemon cake with a blueberry compote. It is a very lemony, slightly dense and rich affair. And since I also made a chocolate cake I ate most of this myself. And it was so good! Yes, I am a fruit dessert lover in a chocolate loving household. Which is really why you have so many chocolate desserts on this blog. Like this insanely good chocolate cake.
The Story of Flourless Lemon Cake with Blueberry Compote
One of lemon’s favorite cohorts is blueberries. Some about the two of them that work like a match made in heaven. After I nailed the texture of the cake, the way I like it. I wanted something just a little bit more. I did not want the sweetness of a glaze. And so I settled for this compote. Essentially in this I cook a whole bunch of blueberries until they are soft and jam like. My blueberries were sweet enough, so I did not need any added sugar. And with all the eggs and almond action going I convinced myself that this cake is good enough for breakfast. Fruit compotes though, offer a lovely way to dress up something simple. Such is this instant pot plum compote.
All, I will confess, I did indeed eat a lot of cake this week. It has thrown all my healthy behavior of the past few weeks out of the window. What can I say? Stuff happens. And looks like this week the clock seems to be ready to turn up the warm weather dial. And just like that it is right into March. My daughter has her first birthday without us. She actually like me does like citrus desserts. And another favorite for you lemon lovers is this Bengali style baked Sandesh I had made a little while ago. Speaking of Bengali flavors, an interesting one here is this blueberry chutney with ginger.
This week I have been thinking of homey favorites. And here is to a great weekend and a lovely week ahead.
A few things with flourless baking, that I have found useful.
- Lower temperatures are a good idea.
- Take the time to whip the egg whites, it gives the cake the lift without the gluten.
- In this recipe, do not go light on the lemon. It is really what this dessert is all about.
A beautiful cake with lots of lemon topped with a vibrant blueberry compote.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs separated
- 1 large lemon, zested, seeded and juiced
- 1/3 cup ricotta cheese or sour cream
- 2 cups of almond meal
- 1 and 1/4 cup of whole blueberries
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional, depending on the sweetness of the berries)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Grease a round cake 9-inch cake pan and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and beat until pale and creamy.
- Add in the egg yolks and beat well until incorporated.
- Add in the lemon zest and juice and mix well.
- Stir in the almond meal using a good wooden spoon.
- Finally beat the egg whites until they are nice and stiff. Fold this well into the cake batter.
- Pour this into the cake pan. Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes until the cake is pale golden and just set.
- Turn off the oven and remove the cake after 10 minutes.
- Unmold the cake.
- To make the compote, place the blueberries with 3 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The blueberries will soften and come to a gentle simmer. Add in the maple syrup if desired.
- The sauce has a jam like consistency but has plenty of texture.
- To serve, cut the cake and serve with the sauce spooned over the cake.