Ottolenghi's Blueberry & Almond Loaf Cake

I should rename this blog "Ode to Ottolenghi" since I make so many of his recipes.

Time to try one of the dessert recipes from his new fantastic book SIMPLE.

I did not find this one "simple" as the name says, however, my version is.

As we know by now, 400F is not my favorite baking temperature, so I lowered it to 375F (and still had to cover the cake because it was burning).

I also did not heed the directions and add another topping of blueberries during the baking process. Huh? Why would I open the oven and add blueberries to the cake?

I like to put the cake in the oven and walk away.

I added sliced almonds to the top, and decreased the butter to 1/2 cup (instead of 10 tbsp).

Ok, I think those are all my alterations......by the way, my cake came out delicious.

Another note: basically anything lemon icing goes on is going to taste good.

Here is how I made it:

Blueberry Almond Loaf Cake (loosely adapted from SIMPLE):

1/2 cup butter, room temperature (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
zest of a lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup almond meal (or almond flour)
8 oz blueberries, fresh or frozen

Icing:
1 cup of confectioners sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
sliced almonds

Grease an 8" loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix the ingredients to form a batter, adding the dry ingredients into the wet. You can use a mixer, as most cake recipes suggest, but I rarely do. I like to mix by hand.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. (I line my pans with parchment paper).

Lay the blueberries on top of the cake (not in the batter), they will sink anyway.

Bake for 35 minutes and check to the top of your cake. You will notice the top will be getting too dark, so cover it with foil and bake another 10 minutes. (A good trick, and to save some foil, is to just place a quarter sheet pan over the cake tin).

The original recipe says to bake 55 minutes, however, even at the lower temperature of 375F, mine took only 45 minutes total.

Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes and remove (lifting out with the parchment paper) to a cooling rack. I place mine over a sheet pan so the icing doesn't drip.

Whisk up the icing ingredients. If it is too dry, then add a little milk until you get the consistency you like.

Drizzle the icing over the warm cake and immediately add the sliced almonds so they stick to the warm icing. They will set when the cake cools.

This was moist and full of almond flavor. No almond extract is needed in this one.

Stays moist for days.

One last summer blueberry cake before I start bombarding you with apple recipes.

Loved my "simple" version.

;)