Blueberry and Coconut Cake with Magical Blueberry Glaze

Prep time 20 minutes /  Cook time 40 minutes / Servings 10-12

It is the blueberry glaze that really makes this cake something special. Blueberries magically set like jelly once blended and cooled. With this in mind, I set to making a cake glaze made from mostly blueberries, sweetened with a touch of honey, a squeeze of lemon to activate the pectin (natures natural thickener), and a dab of butter to give a nice sheen. Truly magical - you can thank me later.

Blueberry and Coconut cake with Magical Blueberry Glaze Photo: Nicola Galloway

Ingredients

•     100g room-temperature butter
•     4 tablespoons mild honey or 1/3 cup sugar
•     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•     Zest of 1 lemon
•     2 room temperature eggs
•     2/3 cup (160ml) coconut milk
•     ½ cup (50g) desiccated coconut
•     1 cup (150g) white flour (gluten-free: use ¾ cup rice flour and ¼ cup tapioca flour)
•     1 teaspoon baking powder
•     ½ teaspoon baking soda
•     ¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Blueberry Glaze

•     ¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
•     2 teaspoons mild honey
•     Squeeze of lemon juice, about 1 teaspoon
•     1 ½ tablespoons butter or coconut oil

Method

1.    Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 22cm round cake tin (I used a 22cm silicon Bundt mould)
2.    In a stand-mixer combine the butter and honey (or sugar) until fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest, then eggs one at a time, followed by the coconut cream, a tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.
3.    Combine the desiccated coconut, flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Add to the mixer and gently mix until just combined. Remove the mixing bowl from the machine and fold through the blueberries.
4.    Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to steam in the tin for five minutes (for a super moist cake crumb), then carefully flip out on to a cooling rack.
5.    Once the cake is completely cool make the Blueberry Glaze. In a small saucepan combine the blueberries, honey, lemon juice and butter. Simmer for one minute until the blueberries are softened.
6.    Pour into a blender, or use an immersion blender, and blitz until smooth. Cool a little to thicken then slowly pour over the cake. If the glaze is too runny then leave to cool a little longer.
7.    This cake is best consumed the day it is baked, after which the glaze will lose its vibrant colour.