A tasty sponge cake is perfect for any occasion, it is so versatile. What makes it even more perfect is when everyone can eat it.. heres my Blueberry Gluten Free Sponge!
I made this Blueberry Gluten Free Sponge Cake as a birthday cake but it is the perfect cake for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter or just a day with no occasion at all. Love cake!
Gluten Free & Dairy Free!
So it was Mark’s birthday yesterday and seeing as there are only a few amazing places where Mark can enjoy a cake, (due to his lactose intolerance) and even fewer where me and him can together enjoy a cake (gluten free and dairy free combined is so rare at cake shops!); I decided to get up early and bake a gluten free, dairy free birthday cake!
When I headed downstairs I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to make, some sort of sponge but that was as far as it went. Upon looking in the fridge I noticed we have a large punnet of fresh blueberries, one of Mark’s favourite fruit, and I decided they had to be involved in the celebrations!
I’ll describe the gluten free sponge cake briefly before I put down the recipe… Essentially it was a classic all in one vanilla gluten free sponge cake which I then added fresh blueberries to before baking. I sandwiched the two layers together with buttercream and a thick helping of blueberry jam. The fresh blueberries stick out and look very attractive on top of the gluten free sponge cake so I then just dusted it with icing sugar.
As the cakes emerge from the oven!
I really was surprised at how tasty the gluten free sponge cake looked and smelt upon coming out of the oven. The cake had a lovely golden colour with swirls of purple oozing out of the visible blueberries.
The gluten free sponge cake was light, airy and flavoursome, and upon cutting a slice the fresh blueberries were visible throughout each piece.
Blueberry Gluten Free Sponge Cake (Dairy Free)
Ingredients
For the sponge:
- 225 g gluten free self raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder (ensure it's gluten free)
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 225 g margarine / spread / softened butter (dairy free if necessary)
- 225 g caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 g fresh blueberries
For the buttercream
- 200 g icing sugar
- 100 g margarine / spread / butter (dairy free if necessary)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- splash of milk to loosen if needed
- blueberry jam
Instructions
- Prepare 2 circular cake tins (mine are 20cm) - grease them and cut a circle of parchment paper to sit in the bottom. Preheat your oven to 160C Fan.
- Place all your sponge ingredients (except the blueberries) into a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined and thoroughly mixed (1 minute should do it).
- Divide the mixture between the two tins evenly.
- Lightly cover the fresh blueberries with a dusting of gf flour so that they don’t sink in the cake, and then as randomly or evenly as you like place the blueberries into the cake mix, gently pushing them in.
- Bake for around 30 minutes until golden (remember never to open the oven until you think they are definitely done). To check if the sponges are cooked, insert a skewer and if it comes out clean, it's done!
- Leave the sponges in their tins for about 5 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack.
- Whilst the sponges are cooling, make your buttercream. Start by adding your margarine / spread / butter to a bowl and cream it together. This can be done by hand or with an electric hand whisk.
- Once creamed, gradually add your icing sugar.
- Add your vanilla extract and mix once more.
- To decorate, spread jam on the bottom layer of the cake. If you want to pipe your buttercream, place it in a piping bag and pipe a dollop followed by a raspberry and continue this around the edge. Then in the centre, just pipe lots of extra dollops of buttercream. Place your second sponge on top.
- If you don't want to pipe your buttercream, spread your buttercream on one of your sponges, jam on the other and sandwich them together (you can also add fresh blueberries on top of the cake if you want).
- Dust with a little icing sugar on top. Enjoy!
I was really pleased with the result seeing as I had never made a gluten free sponge cake exactly like this before. I hope if you give it a try you are equally as taken by it. Please feel free to give me any tips as to how I could improve the gluten free sponge cake or if you have any of your own recipes – I would love to try!
Thanks for reading,
Happy Birthday Mark!
Love Becky xxx
