I baked this a while ago and it was the first recipe I have ever baked that uses soured cream as an ingredient. The recipe comes from none other than the fantastic Bill Granger.

Blueberry tea cake 2, originally uploaded by Food For Think.

I was lucky enough to meet him at the KitchenAid Blender Launch at Hix in March and subsequently bought his book ‘Feed Me Now’. It was his kindness to attend the event despite being ill and a recommendation from a colleague who has rather a bit of a soft spot for him that led me to trying out a few of his recipes – I can also recommend the Melt and Mix Banana Bread recipe (also uses sour cream)

One thing though – don’t try it hot out of the oven. Being greedy and very impatient, I did and the taste of hot sour cream nearly put me off trying it cold the next day. I’m so glad I did though because it was absolutely divine.

Recipe (makes around 12 slices)

210ml soured cream
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
180g butter, at room temperature
330g unrefined golden caster sugar
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1tsp vanilla extract
3 medium eggs
250g blueberries
375g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Grease a baking tin and line with baking paper
2. Mix the soured cream and bicarbonate of soda and leave to sit for 5 minutes
3. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and creamy. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat
4. One at a time, beat in the eggs, then mix in the soured cream mixture until evenly combined
4. Put the blueberries into another bowl and toss with a little of the flour. Sift the rest of the flour and baking powder over the cake mixture and fold in, until just combined. Gently fold through the blueberries
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepaed tin and bake for 45-50 mintues, until a skewer inserted into the entre comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly in the tine for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack