My favorite Lemon Cake with Blueberry Frosting is so simple to prepare, and gluten free too! This delicious cake is perfect for summer.
Lemons are kitchen essential I am never without. I use lemons in everything - from pastas, soups, cakes, tarts and drinks.
The zing that they add always reminds me of summer, even when it's cold and wet outside. So with my love of lemons, and having made Nigella's Chocolate Orange Cake again recently I pondered a lemon version.
The very next day I gave it a go and it worked out beautifully. As much as I love the chocolate orange version (which incidentally is one of my favorite cakes) this is now one of my favourite lemon cakes.
The wonderful thing about this Lemon Cake, is the fact it's so simple to prepare. Everything is simply blitzed in the food processor!
And it's gluten free too. If you are on a gluten free diet this is one delicious cake you eat!
For my lemon version of this cake I opted against using store bought almond meal and made my own.
It's simple to do, and it also gives you control over the resulting texture.
Want a fine powder? Simply grind them more. Want something a little chunky? Stop a little earlier.
For this cake I went for an almond meal that was a little chunky, but that's one of the things I enjoyed about this cake because it gives a really nice texture.
To decorate the cake I whipped up a simple blueberry frosting.
Blueberries and lemons go so well together! I love blueberries with lemon pancakes, and this Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Cake too.
And while I could have gone for lemon on lemon, I love the purple hue that the blueberries give the frosting.
So if you are thinking of baking a cake to celebrate the weekend I hope you will give this beautiful but simple lemon cake a go.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lemons, weighing approximately 375g
- 6 eggs
- 1 teaspoon heaped of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- 250 g of ground almonds
- 250 g of caster sugar
- BLUEBERRY FROSTING
- 150 g of butter, at room temperature
- 3 ½ cups of icing sugar
- ¼ cup of pureed blueberries
Instructions
- Put the lemons in a saucepan with cold water and bring to the boil before reducing the heat and simmering for 2 hours, or until soft. Drain the water and set aside to cool. When cool, cut the lemons in half and remove any large seeds.
- Grease a 20cm springform pan and preheat the oven to 180 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
- Pulp the lemon in a food processor before adding the eggs, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, almonds and sugar and processing until you have a smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check after 40 minutes to ensure the top is not cooking too much, if so simply cover with foil.
- Let the cake cool in the tin before removing.
- To make the frosting add the butter to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until pale and creamy. Reduce the speed to it's lowest setting and gradually add the icing sugar. Finally add the pureed blueberries and mix until combined.
- To decorate the cake smooth over a crumb coating and refrigerate until set before smoothing over another layer of the frosting.
Mel says
Well have just whipped up this cake as I love lemons. Was very excited to cut a slice however cake was very bitter and left an after taste. even the sweetness of the icing couldn't cut through it. very disappointed. not sure what went wrong
Asmita says
Lemon and blueberry is one the best combinations ever. Love this cake , looks amazing!!!
Von says
Congratulations on your nomination!! 😀 I love the purple colour of the frosting too- when I saw the first picture, I thought it was a blueberry mousse cake or something like that 😉 The combination of blueberries and lemon sounds really nice though- and the cake sounds amazing too!
delicieux says
Thanks Von 😀
Amy says
Lemons and blueberries and it's gluten free! It's like you designed a cake especially for me. There are some lemons in my fruit bowl that are about to be very lucky 🙂
Thanh @ eat, little bird says
I also love this lemon cake from Nigella! Though, I've never tried it with a frosting but it sounds lovely with the blueberries.
Gourmantine says
This is such a beautiful cake and the frosting sounds beyond delicious! Your photography is just stunning I'm not at all surprised you've been nominated! 🙂
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
I love Nigella's creation. They are often so yummy!Love this recipe, Jen. And that icing?!? Oh! I want to face-plant in it.
delicieux says
Haha a face full of blueberry icing would be fun 😀
FiSh says
the blueberry frosting makes the cake looks especially good! sweet and sour, oh so appetizingLatest: Penang Food Festival
muppy says
you've managed to make a cake look wholesome!
Connie says
OMG, another sweet-loving vegetarian? YEA! And this cake? Divine! Thank you!
Tanya says
I am about to make this cake and feel a little silly for asking this but do I use the entire lemon, skin and all? Or do I peel the lemons and then boil them?Thanks!
delicieux says
Hi Tanya, Yes, you use the whole lemon, skin and all. 😀
Gina Chun says
What is bicarbonate of soda? Is that like baking soda?
Jennifer says
Yes, bicarbonate of soda is the same as baking soda 😀
Radhika@Just Homemade says
LOvely lemon cake and Yay! Jenn on the nominations..
Samantha says
Is the frosting gluten free, too?
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
The frosting is gluten free as long as you use a gluten free powdered sugar (or icing sugar as we call it here in Australia). You might need to check the label of the powdered sugar to ensure it is gluten free. Some brands use starch, usually cornstarch, to prevent it from clumping, but others might use something else. I hope that helps 🙂