*Nan's Blueberry Cake*
with a brown sugar sauce Serves 8 This is very simple and very delicious. Old fashioned family cooking. 55 g solid white vegetable shortening (1/4 cup, Crisco or the like) 145g of white sugar (3/4 cup) 1 large free range egg 1 tsp vanilla 280g plain flour (2 cups) 4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 225ml milk (1 cup) 150g blueberries (1 1/2 cups) divided For the sauce: 220g soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed) 1 1/2 TBS plain flour pinch salt 225ml boiling water (1 cup) 1 TBS butter 1/2 tsp vanilla Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch square baking tin. Set aside. Whisk the dry ingredients for the cake together. Cream the shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Whisk together the milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Fold in 3/4 of the blueberries. Spread in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining berries on top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and the centre is set. While the cake is baking make the sauce. Whisk the flour and sugar together in a saucepan. Stir in the boiling water and cook over low heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Whisk in the butter and vanilla. Serve the cake warm, cut into squares, with some of the brown sugar sauce spooned over top. |