Lemon Blueberry Cake

This Lemon Blueberry Cake was the result of a client at the restaurant asking for something I hadn't made before.  These requests give me an opportunity to think about new desserts that I might not have thought about on my own.

The only request was a Lemon Blueberry Cake.  How I put it together was up to me.  I knew I didn't want to make a lemon cake with whipped cream and blueberries, so I thought about it for a few days and decided that it needed to be a light cake, which dictated a chiffon base.  The white chiffon cake used for Coconut Cream Cake was the perfect choice. Light and full of flavor on it's own it can take a strong filling.

For the lemon flavor, what could be more intense than lemon curd?  Bury fresh blueberries in the curd and there you have the perfect Lemon Blueberry Cake.

When it came to finishing the outside of the Lemon Blueberry Cake (I am not a fan of naked cakes) there were two choices, Italian buttercream or whipped cream.  In keeping with the light theme, I chose whipped cream, especially since I use it to seal the blueberries in.

I can't think of a better cake to end a summer barbecue than this light, cool Lemon Blueberry Cake.  It can be tucked away in the refrigerator the day before so there is no last minute baking or rush.

Lemon Curd -  This may be made a week ahead and refrigerated if desired.  For how to photo's for the lemon curd.  Use the ingredients listed below.  This has to be made at least a day ahead and refrigerated to set up.
1 teaspoon water
½ teaspoon gelatin
2 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
½ cup sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed - do not use the bottle version
1 stick cold butter, cut into 6 pieces (114 grams or 4 ounces)

Dissolve the gelatin in the water. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs and yolks in a bowl. Strain them into the top of a double boiler. Whisk in the sugar and lemon juice. Add the butter. Place over hot water and, stirring constantly, bring to 172 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Tear the gelatin into pieces and add to the hot curd. Whisk to melt in and combine.

Pour into a storage container, cover the surface with plastic wrap; poke a few holes in it and refrigerate to cool.

Yield: 1 ⅔ cup or approximately 450 grams

White Chiffon Cake - for how to photo's on the cake layers.  The layers can be made a month ahead and frozen with parchment between the layers.  Thaw before assembling.
2 ¼ cup sifted cake flour (225 grams or 8 ounces)
1 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar (215 grams or 7 ½ ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup non fat dry milk (30 grams or 1 ounce)
⅓ cup vegetable oil (60 grams or 2 ounces)
⅓ cup water (70 grams or 2 ½ ounces)
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
⅔ cup water (135 grams or 4 ¾ ounces)
½ teaspoon cream of tarter
⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar (85 grams or 3 ounces)

Spray the center of 3 9x2 inch round pans and line with parchment rounds.

Spray the center of the rounds; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the flour, 1 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, salt, dry milk, vegetable oil, ⅓ cup water, egg yolks, vanilla and almond extracts in a mixing bowl. Mix on medium for 2 minutes, scraping well between the additions of water. Lower the speed of the mixer and add the ⅔ cup water half at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a clean mixing bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tarter until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until
stiff peaks form. This is a heavy meringue and will take a while to beat. Whisk ¼ of the beaten whites into the batter; fold in the remaining whites.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans (310 grams or 11 ¼ ounces each pan).

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. The cakes will be very slightly colored if at all, the tester will come out clean and the center will spring back when lightly touched.

After cooling, the layers will fall slightly – that is how it should be.

Finished batter weighs 930 grams. Baked layers are ¾ inch tall.

I usually freeze the layers ahead of time as they are easier to work with than fresh layers.  Thaw them before filling.

Whipped Cream
1 quart whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar (130 grams or 4 ½ ounces)

Combine the cream and powdered sugar and beat until firm.

Assembly of the Lemon Blueberry Cake
White Chiffon Cake layers
Lemon Curd
Whipped Cream
1 pint Blueberries

Spread the blueberries in a rimmed tray and pick them over for stems, leaves, etc.  Set aside.Lightly stir lemon curd with a rubber spatula to make it spreadable.  Do not over stir.  Remove a scant ¼ cup of the curd and set aside.  Place one layer of cake on a cake board.  Spread with half of the remaining curd to within ½ inch of the edge of the cake. Cover the curd with half of the blueberries.Place a large dollop of whipped cream on top of berries and spread over them pressing the cream down gently to fill the gaps in the berries.  It is not necessary to enclose them completely.Place the second layer of cake on top of the cream.  Repeat layering the curd, berries and whipped cream.Place the top layer on the cake.Remove about 1 ½ cups cream and set aside for decoration.

Transfer the cake to a finish board or a cake stand.  Here I am using a 12" gold board that we used at the bakery for the finished cake.

This cake is not undercoated.  Finish the sides and top with the remaining cream.  Comb the sides of the cake.  Finish the edges as desired.  I use a running "E", which is essentially a set of connected circles. I used a number 5 "B" tip here.  I used the same tip to make a shell design to finish the bottom edge of the cake.Fill a second piping bag fitted with a number 3 or 4 plain tip with the reserved lemon curd.  Pipe dots of curd in the circles of the running "E".  The Lemon Blueberry Cake can be completed the day before serving.  Refrigerate the cake and any leftovers.