happy midsummer cake
gluten free cream cake with fresh berries and lemon custard
My ideal midsummer includes parties under a blue sky by a warm salty ocean, white daisies and bright blue cornflowers, fresh berry cream cake, herring and various kinds of spiced aquavit. The perfect Scandinavian midsummer. I’m not in Sweden this year but this cake alone captures so many feelings, memories and flavors, just looking at it makes me happy. And eating it…
This is a great cake for special occasions as the cake base and the lemon custard gets even better when prepared a day in advance
Happy midsummer!
cake
Gluten free, starch free and still incredibly moist, this is a simple cake that can be enjoyed alone or with any kind of filling and frosting.
Make it dairy free using coconut milk and coconut oil or exchange with yogurt and butter. Using all coconut (coconut-flour, -oil and -milk) gives the cake a slightly more noticeable coconut flavor than using coconut flour in combination with yogurt and butter.
ingredients
5 whole eggs and 3 egg whites
1 cup honey
½ cup melted coconut oil (or butter)
1 cup coconut milk (or regular yogurt)
1 cup coconut flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
directions
Whip whole eggs, egg whites and honey with an electric mixer until white and fluffy.
Add melted coconut oil and coconut milk and mix until blended.
Add dry ingredients and continue to mix until the batter thickens, about a minute.
Pour batter into a 9 inch springform pan lightly coated with coconut oil. For a higher cake, use two smaller pans.
Bake at 350F/175C for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool completely before filling.
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lemon custard
ingredients
½ cup milk
½ cup cream
3 yolks
2 tbl potato starch
3 tbl honey
2 tbl butter
6 tbl lemon juice
directions
Whisk together egg yolks, potato starch and salt in a bowl until smooth.
In a small sauce pan, bring milk, cream and honey to a simmer over medium heat.
Slowly add half of the hot liquid to the egg mixture while stirring.
Return all liquids to the sauce pan, still whisking rapidly until the custard thickens and begins to simmer. Continue to stir while simmering for a couple of minutes, then take off the heat and stir in butter and lemon juice.
Let cool completely, cover and refridgerate.
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filling, frosting & topping
ingredients
1 basket fresh blueberries
1 bastet fresh strawberries
3 cups heavy whipping cream
lemon custard (recipe above)
assembly
Cut the cold cake into three or four layers.
Cut strawberries into thick slices.
Whip cream until soft to medium peaks form.
Start by covering the bottom layer with lemon custard, continue with a layer of sliced strawberries and top with whipped cream. Add another layer of cake and continue until the last layer of cake is on top.
Cover top and sides with whipped cream.
Pour the whole basket of blueberries over the top and decorate with edible daisies and cornflower petals.
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Serves 8-10.
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Photography by Philip Blankenship.
creamy potatoes
bacon & egg new potato salad
At no other time of year is potato salad more irresistible than when the little sweet mini spuds are in season. A dish sometimes bland and crumbly turn sweet and fresh suggesting a picnic involving a bbq or an open fire.
ingredients
3 pounds new potatoes
12 oz bacon
3 eggs
1 cup thick yogurt (or sour cream or crème fraîche). Find recipe for homemade yogurt here and crème fraîche here.
½ cup mayo
2 TBL chopped fresh chives
2 TBL chopped fresh dill
2 TBL chopped fresh parsley
1 TBL fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
directions
Wash and boil the new potatoes in salted water until soft, about 15-20 minutes depending on size. Leave the skin on.
Add eggs to a pot of boiling water and let boil for 9 minutes. Rinse in cold water, chill, peel and chop.
Chop the bacon and fry to a crisp. Drain and set aside.
Mix yogurt (or sour cream or crème fraîche) with mayo, herbs and lemon juice.
Fold in potatoes, bacon end eggs, saving some bacon and eggs for garnish.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate.
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Serves 8.
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Photography by Philip Blankenship.
yogurt parfait
yogurt parfait with cocoa granola & black currant jam
Perhaps it’s the luscious combination of contrasting textures and flavors that makes yogurt parfait especially delightful. Creamy and crunchy, sweet and tart, it’s enjoyable any time of year, but this cold little treat is particularly satisfying during the warmer parts of the year. Sweetened only with honey, it’s as good for breakfast as it is for dessert or a quick snack.
Find recipe for homemade yogurt here.
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cocoa granola
Made with raw, unsweetened and unsalted nuts and seeds, this granola is packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and fiber. This recipe can be used as a formula for any nut or seed combination. For a raw muesli version, eliminate wet ingredients and skip the baking process.
ingredients
3 cups old fashioned oat flakes
1 cup roughly chopped hazelnuts
1 cup roughly chopped pecan nuts
½ cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
2 tbl chia seeds
2 tbl hemp seeds
2 tbl pshyllium husk
2 tbl flax meal
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup honey
½ cup coconut oil
2 large egg whites
directions
Melt coconut oil with honey until mixed, stir in cocoa powder and set aside.
Mix the remaining dry ingredients, pour in the honey liquid and stir until oats, nuts and seeds are coated.
Whip egg whites with a fork until white and add to the mixture.
Spread onto two baking sheets covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 300F/150C for 35 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes.
Let cool before storing in air tight jars.
Makes 8-9 cups.
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black currant jam
Known as one of the most potent super fruits, black currants are used medicinally for a number of conditions such as heart decease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. The berries are often used as nutritional support for joint and eye health.
Not only are black currants extremely high in vitamin C, they are also high in vitamin A, B, and E, calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, antioxidants and phytonutrients. The black currant seeds are rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
Whether raw or cooked, with high levels of natural pectin, black currants make excellent jam.
Jam and marmalade made with honey usually needs little or no water as honey naturally has 15-20% water.
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ingredients
5 cups black currants
2 cups honey
directions
Raw Jam – Mash berries with a fork and stir with honey until melted.
Cooked Jam – Stir berries with honey and bring to a medium boil. Boil for 25-45 minutes depending on desired thickness. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water only if more liquid is needed.
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Pour into clean jars and store cold.
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Photography by Philip Blankenship.