Simple to make, and not too sweet, this make-ahead vanilla blueberry cake a version of the recipe in Vanilla Table is perfect for a light dessert or brunch and easily made gluten free.
Photo by Natasha MacAller
Serves 8
Ingredients
Unsalted butter ¼ cup 60 g 2 oz
Brown sugar, packed ½ cup 100 g 3½ oz
Vanilla pods, split and scraped 2
Zest of Lime 1
Lime juice 2 Tbsp 30 ml 1 floz
Organic blueberries rinse and patted dry 1½ cup (about 8 oz/240 g)
Dark rum (optional) 1 Tbsp 15 ml
Plain or gluten-free flour 1/3 cup 50 g 1¾ oz
Polenta, medium grind 1 cup 160 g 5½ oz
Baking powder* ¼ Tsp
Sea Salt ¼ Tsp
Eggs, large, separated 3
Superfine sugar 1/3 cup 75 g 2½ oz
Pure vanilla extract ½ Tsp
Skim, almond or soy milk ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp 90 ml 3 floz
Corn or vegetable oil ¼ cup 60 ml 2 floz
*Most baking powders are gluten free, but check label to be sure.
Directions
Line a 9-inch/ 20-cm cake or pie pan with foil and butter the foil. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
Toast polenta in the oven or in a dry sauté pan until you can smell it toasting and is lightly browned. Cool completely, then pulse with the flour, slat and baking powder in a food processor to a fine grind.
Melt butter in a frying pan over medium–low heat. Add brown sugar and stir with a heat-resistant or wooden spatula until the mixture begins to bubble. Add vanilla seeds and pods stirring well for 1 minute. Add lime zest, juice and rum—the mixture will sizzle —and stir until blended. Remove from heat and pour sugar glaze into prepared cake pan. Arrange pods in center of cake pan. Add blueberries in a layer completely covering the top. Drizzle with any remaining glaze. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, polenta, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
In a large grease-free bowl, and using a hand-mixer or stand-mixer, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Slowly stream in half the sugar and whip the whites to glossy, soft peaks, tripled in volume.
In a large bowl, whisk the yolks with remaining sugar until well blended. Add the vanilla, milk and oil, whisking well.
Fold dry ingredients into yolks, using a spatula to combine. Fold in the whites in 3 stages until just blended. Gently pour or spoon batter on top of blueberries, smoothing the top. Place in center of oven and bake for 23–25 minutes until cake is set and springs back when touched in centre.
Cool for 10 minutes then invert onto a serving plate, carefully peeling foil off the top. Serve warmed or at room temperature with a spoonful of vanilla sour cream or Greek yogurt, scattering a few banana pieces and mandarins around the plate.