Blueberry-Juniper Rye Cake with Blueberry-Lemon Curd - Diversivore.com

Blueberry-Juniper Rye Cake with Blueberry-Lemon Curd

In Recipes by Sean20 Comments

A slice of blueberry juniper rye cake on a white plate with an old fork, topped with blueberry-lemon curd
A slice of blueberry juniper rye cake on a white plate with an old fork, topped with blueberry-lemon curd and fresh blueberries

Blueberry-Juniper Rye Cake

With Lemon-Blueberry Curd

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This post is the second in a series of awesome egg recipes brought to you in collaboration with BC Egg. All opinions are my own.
Looking for the first recipe? Click here!

I love all of the recipes that I create for Diversivore, but I feel especially connected to this one. The idea for it just popped into my head one day, but it wasn't until I was well into the thick of it that I realized that I was creating a cake microcosm of my own life.  I was born and raised in Alberta, but I've called British Columbia home for the last 7 years. Like me, the cake has one foot in the prairies and another on the coast.  I started with an old family recipe for muffins, but it's been given a thorough BC twist, namely BC Eggs, BC blueberries (literally grown only kilometers from my house), and locally milled (but Alberta-grown) rye flour from Vancouver's GRAIN.  If a cake can have terroir, then this has it in spades.  Lastly, I've given things the old Diversivore signature touch by showcasing a few underappreciated ingredients (namely juniper and rye) and by giving plenty of variations and tips.

Now the cake is wonderful all by itself, but it's transformed into something out-of-this-world thanks to the blueberry-lemon curd.  This stuff hits all my buttons - sweet and decadent, rich without being heavy, punchy and bright with strong lemon and earthy-sweet blueberry flavours - it's a little jar of purple sunshine.  Sounds like a Prince song. To be fair, I adore curd and I'll take any excuse to make a batch, so when I got the idea for blueberry-lemon curd, there was no turning back.  Honestly, I couldn't be happier with the result.  Blueberry and lemon are perfect together, and the colour is... well, it's almost unreal.  It's AWESOME.  There's no photo trickery here - it truly is that magnificent shade of purple.  Go blueberries.

Lastly, I want to send a big ol' virtual high-five to BC Egg for being so eager to explore recipes like this.  When I first spoke with them about creating this series of recipes, one of the topics we discussed was just how important eggs are in baking, and how much you can do with them without realizing you're eating an egg.  When you're trying to promote eggs, there's a tendency to think of recipes that are obviously and visually egg-focused. There's nothing wrong with that of course, and it's exactly what I did with the first recipe in the series, but sometimes we forget just how important eggs can be when we don't even see them. In fact, when I told my father-in-law about this recipe, he was concerned about the lack of eggs. There are SIX eggs in this folks. Two in the cake, and two whole eggs plus two yolks in the curd. You might not see them, but they're busy working their dessert magic.  Go eggs.

A slice of blueberry juniper rye cake on a white plate with an old fork, topped with blueberry-lemon curd and fresh blueberries

Recipe Notes

This recipe is based on an old family recipe for blueberry streusel muffins. I changed up the flour types, tweaked the batter and the spices, and dropped the streusel in favour of a glaze. The resulting cake is flavourful and incredibly moist, but it's also easy to adapt or tweak. I'm going to walk you through some of the components and possible variations in order to help you get the most out of the dessert.

Flour Types

The combination of light rye flour and all purpose flour yields a wonderfully moist crumb with an earthy and delightfully distinctive flavour. Fans of rye flour are probably on board already, but if you're a little hesitant, rest assured that this isn't going to taste like a loaf of dense, dark pumpernickel. Rye is a complex, nutty, somewhat malty tasting grain and it works beautifully in a huge variety of sweet and savoury baked goods. That being said, rye does not behave exactly the same way that wheat does. Both wheat and rye contain the proteins gliadin and glutenin. These proteins combine to form gluten, whose stretchy elastic nature is responsible for giving structure to flour-based goods like bread. Rye, however, contains far less glutenin than wheat, meaning that it produces less gluten. Still some, mind you - just not as much. Because of this, doughs or batters made with the flour alone won't have the same texture found in wheat-based goods. This recipe specifically uses a combination of the two flours in order to balance the flavour of the cake and to keep it from becoming too dense. When I watched this bake, a ridge formed in the center of the loaf pan much like you'd expect from a wheat-based loaf. However, as the loaf cooled, the ridge flattened and left a flat, uniform cake that was just the right density for me. It works perfectly with the plentiful blueberries that are interspersed, and makes for a contrasting but complementary base for the curd.

Rye flour is experiencing a baking renaissance these days (hooray!), meaning that it's becoming easier to find. More and more artisanal and commercial mills are offering rye flour to their customers, so it shouldn't be hard to track down. If you happen to live in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver as I do, look into GRAIN and their incredible stone mill-ground rye flour. Made with Alberta-grown whole rye grain, it's an incredible product and a great value. I used it to make this cake, and you can rest assured that it will be making regular appearances in my kitchen.

Dark vs. Light Rye

Dark and light rye flours are a bit confusingly named, as they don't differ substantially in colour. Dark rye flour is a whole grain flour, made using the entire rye grain. Light rye flour is made with rye that has had the outer bran and germ layers removed, leaving only the core endosperm layer. Breads and cakes made with dark rye will indeed be darker in colour, but not ridiculously so. You can see from the photos that this cake is relatively dark, but nowhere near the deep chocolate colour associated with many rye breads. This isn't really very surprising, as most dark rye bread are actually coloured with molasses or cocoa.

If you can find a good quality dark (i.e. whole grain) rye flour, use it. If not, light rye flour will also work very nicely. Should you come across something called pumpernickel flour, it's best not use it here. Pumpernickel flour is generally a mixture of dark rye flour and coarsely ground dark rye meal. The meal is responsible for the chewy/grainy bits found in true pumpernickel bread, but would be out of place here.

No rye flour? No problem. Check out the variations below.

A slice of blueberry juniper rye cake on a white plate with an old fork, topped with blueberry-lemon curd

Juniper

Juniper isn't something that you see in every cake, but it's a great ingredient to play around with. Most people are familiar with juniper berries as an ingredient in gin, and that's exactly where I got this idea. Blueberries and gin go together amazingly well, and part of that has to do with juniper. Juniper berries have a tart character with elements of pine and lemon - all flavours that pair beautifully with both rye and blueberry. The cake itself is not too heavily spiced, but the juniper and cinnamon in both the batter and the glaze on top really do add depth and unique flavour to the cake. This recipe calls for dried juniper berries, rather than fresh. Of course if you have access to fresh juniper berries, you can always dry your own.

As for finding dried juniper berries - well, that one's a bit hit and miss. Gourmet spice and grocery stores are a strong bet, but you may want to call around first. If you can't find them in your home town, check online - there are an increasing number of high-end spice merchants with great prices and fantastic ingredients to be found on the ol' interwebs.

Baking Tips

This is a pretty easy cake - not prone to over-cooking and easy to check for doneness. Nonetheless, there are two simple steps that make it much easier.

  1. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper.  This cake is prone to sticking, and while you can grease the tin, parchment paper is WAY easier.
  2. Don't rely too heavily on the stated cooking time - use a toothpick instead.  Ovens can vary so much it's not even funny.  You want to bake this until a toothpick can pierce the center of the cake and emerge clean.  Once you're at that stage, remove the cake, do the glazing step, and let the whole thing rest for a while.

If you decide to adapt the cake to a different size (see below in Variations), these tips still apply.

A slice of blueberry juniper rye cake on a small plate with floral decorations

The Way of Curd

Fruit curds have a bit of an image problem, and I'd like to chip in my two cents on that issue. First of all, to the uninitiated, the word 'curd' doesn't always evoke silky, dreamy, delicious dessert. Sharing etymological roots with the word curdle, it's easy to understand why we don't exactly think tasty thoughts. But fruit curds are, in my opinion, some of the very best and most decadent dessert components out there. Butter and eggs make for a rich and silky base, elevated and enlivened by tangy and sweet fruit flavours. Like a good custard, there's no cooked egg-y flavour to a curd, despite the fact that quite a few eggs are used to make it. Simply put, it's exquisite stuff - and while lemon curd is the perennial classic, you can do a lot with curds (as you can see).

For those of you already familiar (and presumably enamored with) curd, there remains another hurdle - it can seem tricky to make. Curds, custards, sabayons, and many other wonderful desserts require that you very carefully cook the eggs without overheating them. Failure to keep stirring, or working at too high of a heat can yield butter sweet scrambled eggs instead of silky curd, and that's not what you want. Fortunately, making curd can be a lot easier than many people realize - and if you have a high-powered blender, it can be ridiculously easy.

The High-Powered Blender Method

I've made fruit curds several ways before, but this was the first time that I used my Vitamix blender. It was ridiculously easy, and there's no arguing with the results. As you can see from the photos, the curd was perfectly set and wonderfully smooth. In fact, the Vitamix gave me the option of using a fruit like blueberry in the curd without having to add an extra step to break up the bits of skin.

The basic method is outlined on Vitamix's website, though I used different proportions of ingredients (and blueberries of course). Once you've cooked the blueberries with the lemon juice, they and all of the remaining curd ingredients go into the blender. Start at the lowest setting and gradually increase the speed until the blender is running at the highest speed. Run the blender for 5 minutes, then turn it off and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes before transferring to another container and refrigerating. The curd should be fairly thick already as it comes out of the blender, and it will thicken even more when refrigerated. The consistency of the cooled curd should be somewhat like a soft pudding.

The coolest part about all of this is just how it works - the heat of the high-powered blender is perfect for cooking and setting the eggs in the curd. And of course, the blades keep everything spinning and give you a perfectly smooth final product.

Note that this technique is specific to high-powered blenders like the Vitamix, and is not likely to work with a small low-speed blender.

The Food Processor Method

If you don't have a Vitamix or other high-speed blender, you can still use some kitchen gadgetry to make curd without too much fuss. A food processor will allow you to make the prep quite easy, though you will need to cook the actual curd on the stovetop. I first tried this method a few years ago, and while I can't remember where I first heard about it, there's a decent chance it was from this lovely Kitchn piece.

As with the blender method, you begin by cooking the blueberries with the lemon juice. The cooked fruit is then added to a food processor and blended with all of the remaining ingredients until well combined. Make sure your butter isn't too cold/hard before starting this step. Once the mixture is well combined, the ingredients can be transferred to a small saucepan and heated on the stovetop. Use a low heat to cook the curd, stirring frequently until well thickened (~12-15 minutes). Do not be tempted to increase the heat or leave the curd unattended, as you can easily end up with chunks of scrambled egg.

The Old School Method

So what can you do if you want to make curd but you don't have any spinning blades at your disposal? You can go old school of course! This is more-or-less the traditional method for making curd, and while it does take a bit of time, it's still not that difficult to execute.

Basically, we separate this technique into two sections in order to avoid overcooking the eggs. As with the other methods, begin by cooking the blueberries and lemon juice together on the stove top over low heat. Cook until the fruit is very soft, stirring frequently to break the fruit down further. You may want to add a few teaspoons of water as you cook to keep the mixture from scorching. Once the blueberries are very soft, remove them from the stove top and press them through a mesh strainer to remove the solids. Try to get as much of the soft cooked blueberry puree as possible while leaving behind any tough bits of skin. Return the puree to the stove top over low heat along with the butter, sugar, and lemon zest (note that you can also add the zest during the first step, but I prefer to leave it in and mince it very finely). Stir until the butter is melted and everything is well combined, then set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs and egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside. Once the mixture is near room temperature, fold in the eggs and return the pot to the stove to and heat again, once more over low. Cook the curd, stirring frequently until well thickened (~12-15 minutes). Do not be tempted to increase the heat or leave the curd unattended, as you can easily end up with chunks of scrambled egg.

To Strain or Not To Strain?

Once the curd is cooked, you can either leave it as is if it looks smooth enough, or pour and press it through a fine mesh strainer in order to yield a smoother end product. When it comes to the Vitamix method, there's generally no need to strain. As you can see from the photos, the final product is extremely smooth. The other two methods may warrant straining if you and leftover bits of blueberry skin or lemon zest, or if you've got any bits of over-cooked egg.

Once you're happy with the consistency of your curd, allow it to cool somewhat then store it in the fridge. It will keep for at least 1 week, assuming you can make it last that long.

Blueberry-lemon curd with a spoon

Variations

Diversivore is all about bringing love and attention to some underappreciated foods, but I also recognize that you want to have a fall-back in the event that you can't track something down. This recipe is quite adaptable, and there are a few variations you can explore, either out of interest or necessity.

Flour

If you can't find rye flour (or if you don't like it), you can make this with 3.5 cups unbleached all purpose wheat flour. The resulting cake will be lighter in colour and flavour, but still very tasty. You could also use a good whole wheat flour for a different but still delightful variation.

I haven't yet tested this recipe with any gluten-free flours, but given that it is a denser, moister sort of cake the possibility is there. Let me know if any of you enterprising sorts give it a whirl!

Fruit

Blueberries are my favourite fruit to use in this recipe, but you can adapt his to other fruits as well. Raspberries make for a lovely twist and a beautiful pale pink fruit curd. I haven't tried it yet, but cherries would likely work quite well too, as they're a natural rye partner.

Cake Size

This recipe was adapted from one for muffins, so I know for a fact that it can work in a number of sizes. I haven't tried every possible iteration of course, but here are some general notes for those looking to experiment. Regardless of the method you choose, take note of the Baking Tips section above for best results.

Loaf Pan - this is the cake style I went with here, along the lines of a lemon loaf or banana bread. It worked very well, but I will note two things:

  1. It's a fair bit of batter and that necessitates a larger loaf pan (the one I use is 30 cm/12 inches long), and
  2. It makes for a long cook time (about 75-85 minutes, depending on the oven).

If you wanted, you could use two smaller loaf pans and a shorter cook time.  Use a toothpick to check the doneness of the cake as you would for the large loaf, but start checking sooner.

Square Pan - a nice variation for making squares of cake, perfect for tea time.  Reduce the cook time and make sure to check for doneness at the center of the cake.

Round Cakes - use two 10 inch (or three 8-inch) round cake pans and reduce the cooking time substantially, checking for doneness with a toothpick.  This is a great option if you want to make a cake with layers of blueberry curd in between.  A gorgeous and very unique variation.

Bundt Pan - I haven't tried this one, but I have no reason to believe it would be a problem, especially given the fact that the cake isn't prone to burning to begin with.  Cook time should be reduce somewhat, though it will probably still take a fair bit of time if the pan is fairly full.

Muffins - this makes for wonderful and very moist muffins, absolutely loaded with blueberries.  In fact, it can seem like there are TOO many blueberries when you're spooning portions into the muffin tin, but trust me, it works.  Do make sure your batter is evenly mixed so that you don't get too many berries in one cup and not enough in another.  Baking time will be substantially reduced; somewhere around 20-25 minutes.  As always, use a toothpick to check whether or not the muffins are done.

A slice of blueberry juniper rye cake on a white plate with an old fork, topped with blueberry-lemon curd and fresh blueberries
A slice of blueberry juniper rye cake on a white plate with an old fork, topped with blueberry-lemon curd

Nutritional Information is given for a 1/12th portion of cake plus approximately 1/16th of the total curd recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Blueberry-Juniper Rye Cake with Blueberry Curd
Amount Per Serving
Calories 460 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 143mg48%
Sodium 156mg7%
Potassium 87mg2%
Carbohydrates 57g19%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 37g41%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 750IU15%
Vitamin C 5.8mg7%
Calcium 120mg12%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Summary

GOOD NEWS:
As far as desserts go, this pretty great stuff! Nutrient dense, loaded with fruit - even the fat/calorie count can come down quite a bit if you're careful about how much curd you use (see below).

BAD NEWS:
Fruit curd uses a LOT of butter, which means a lot of fat (and calories from fat).

TRIM IT DOWN:
I've actually allowed for a VERY generous single serving of curd (1/16th of the total recipe, which is probably more than you're likely to use), so you could easily cut back quite a bit to make this a healthier.

Ingredient Pages

No ingredient pages have been written yet for any of the ingredients in this recipe.  Like to see one?  Let me know in the comments below or by email.

Pantry Pages

No pantry pages have been written yet for any of the ingredients in this recipe.  Like to see one?  Let me know in the comments below or by email.

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Blueberry-Juniper Rye Cake with Blueberry-Lemon Curd - Diversivore.com
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5 from 4 votes

Blueberry-Juniper Rye Cake with Blueberry Curd

A unique and delicious cake with rye flour, spices, and whole blueberries, served with a tangy and gorgeous blueberry-lemon curd (Plus curd-making tips!).
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Canadian, Miscellaneous, North American
Keyword: blueberry cake, blueberry curd, blueberry loaf, rye cake, summer
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 460kcal

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1.5 cups dark (whole grain) rye flour
  • 1 cup all purpose flour preferably unbleached
  • 1.25 cups sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp juniper berries ground
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1.5 cups blueberries
  • 1 cup milk

Glaze

  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp dried juniper berries ground
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Blueberry Curd

  • 1.5 cups blueberries
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in the butter with a pastry mixer. Stop once the butter has been cut into small pieces and the mixture looks like smallish crumbs.
  • Combine the milk and eggs and add them to the large bowl containing the flour mixture. Stir until the whole mixture is moist and just combined.
  • Add the blueberries to the batter and combine gently.
  • Pour the batter into a lightly greased or parchment paper-lined large loaf tin. You can also use two square or round cake tins, though make sure to adjust the cooking time (see Step 5).
  • Bake for 75-85 minutes, or until a toothpick can pierce the center of the cake and emerge dry. Prepare the glaze while the cake bakes.
  • Brush glaze over the finished cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Use all of the glaze by allowing it to soak in and brushing it on in several coats.
  • Let the finished cake cool, ideally overnight, but for at least 2 hours.

Glaze

  • Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes then let the glaze stand for 10-15 minutes.
  • Pour the glaze through a small strainer or cheesecloth in order to filter out the cinnamon and juniper pieces. Set the syrupy glaze aside to use when the cake is done baking.

Blueberry Curd

  • Place the blueberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan and heat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently to break up the blueberries and avoid scorching. If you have trouble getting enough liquid to release at first, you can add a splash of water. Continue to cook and stir until all the berries have cooked and burst, leaving you with a thick sauce; about 5-7 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
  • Combine all of the curd ingredients in a powerful high-speed blender and process for 5 minutes at the highest speed setting. (No high-speed blender? Check out the notes below for variations)
  • Allow the finished curd to cool slightly and open the blender carefully, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Notes

When preparing the curd, the blender instructions are the easiest and most effective way to go, but necessitates the use of a high-power/high-speed blender (e.g. a Vitamix). Blenders like this will combine the ingredients effectively while simultaneously cooking them with the heat of the blender. Low power blenders will not work the same way. If you don't have one of these blenders, there are other options listed below.
FOOD PROCESSOR VERSION: Prepare the blueberries and lemon juice as for the blender version. Combine the sugar and lemon zest, then cream them with the butter (use a food processor or mixer for this). Add the blueberry mixture and continue to mix, followed by the egg yolks and whole eggs, one at a time, mixing continually. Add the mixture to a double-boiler or heat-proof bowl placed in simmering water. Heat over a low flame, stirring continuously, until the curd has thickened and set (around 12-15 minutes). When finished remove from heat and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
TRADITIONAL STOVETOP VERSION: Prepare the blueberries and lemon juice as for the blender version, cooking a little longer to really break down the fruit. Press this mixture through a mesh sieve to get out the bits of blueberry skin. Add the blueberry puree, lemon zest, and butter to a small saucepan on a stovetop. Heat over a low flame, stirring and mixing until the butter is well mixed and homogeneous. Remove from heat and allow to cool to low temperature. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. When the blueberry/butter mixture is cool, return it to the stove in a double-boiler or heat-proof bowl placed in simmering water. Whisk in the eggs. Heat over a low flame, stirring continuously, until the curd has thickened and set (around 12-15 minutes). When finished remove from heat and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 750IU | Vitamin C: 5.8mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2.2mg

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Comments

  1. Blueberries all the way!!! Man do I miss home in August, I use to pick up buckets and buckets of blueberries at my parent’s cabine up in the North. This rye cake looks sublime Sean and the custard to die for! Wow! I know what I’ll be dreaming of tonight… !

    1. Author

      I hear you! I always liked them growing up, but now that I’m in the heart of BC blueberry country, I’m extra-excited to work with them. Your memories of picking at the cabine sound wonderful – I think we all treasure those food memories of our youth! Hopefully you can find your fix and enjoy this cake and a few other recipes along the way.

  2. Lovely recipe, Sean! I like your use of rye and all-purpose flour without making the cake too dense and chewy. Your curd looks amazing, and hey, it’s in my favourite colour! I agreed that oven temperatures and baking time can be tricky. When I went for my pastry classes, the chef would not write down the baking time on his recipes, cause he said every oven is different and we have to find out ourselves! Thanks for sharing!

    1. Author

      Thank you Vicky! The combination of flour and the blueberries definitely keep the crumb nice, light, and moist. I’m glad you like the curd! You don’t really get to make a lot of food with that colour, so it stands out quite a bit.
      What you say about ovens and your pastry classes is interesting. I think that a lot of people want a recipe to be really exact in order to decrease any anxiety about trying it out, but some things (e.g. cooking times) just don’t let themselves to that level of precision. You can’t write it down because there are too many uncontrolled variables in the reader’s kitchen! Still, I obviously try to give people as much information as possible to work with. I hope that if more recipes aim to inform rather than instruct that people will start to approach this kind of cooking and baking differently. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

  3. I love everything about this recipe! The flavour combination of rye, blueberry and juniper, the ridiculously amazing colour of that curd, even the fact that you’ve used all-local ingredients. I tip my hat to you, my friend… you really knocked it out of the park with this one. 🙂

    1. Author

      Thank you Isabelle! That means a lot to me. I’m really having a great time working with BC Egg, partly because they’re so interested in getting outside the box a little bit. It really makes me want to stretch my culinary imagination a bit! And frankly, it’s so much fun using these local ingredients and supporting local farmers. I’m privileged to be part of such a great food community. Cheers, and thanks so much for your kind comment.

  4. Looks absolutely delicious! I’m imaging pairing it up with a cool gin cocktail. 😉 I’m also in the Vancouver area and the blueberries are ridiculous right now. Thanks so much for sharing.

    1. Author

      Hah, why thank you Sharon! If you’re looking for a cocktail recipe… well the last post on the site has you covered there too! That being said, I’m tempted to develop a blueberry-gin cocktail too. They just go so well together… and hopefully with this cake! Thanks for coming by, and cheers!

  5. I love how thorough the recipe is, I often find desserts can be intimidating and you answered all my questions.

    1. Author

      Thank you Ayngelina! I couldn’t agree more – too often dessert recipes aren’t given the detail and consideration they need in order to really help the reader. Baking isn’t inherently difficult (in my opinion), but the variation in supplies, ingredients, ovens, and more can really frustrate people. Hopefully I can do my bit to enable home cooks and bakers! Cheers.

  6. I saw about a bazillion juniper berries last summer on my trip through the Western United States.. if only I’d picked a bunch! Next time I run across some, I’ll know what to do with them! (Other than learn how to make gin of course!) I really should try baking with rye flour- I love rye bread, and this sounds delicious with the berries and the curd!

    1. Author

      Foraging is the best! That being said, I bought my juniper berries at a local spice shop. A few go a pretty long way. It wasn’t until I bought the local rye flour a couple of months ago that I started experimenting with this kind of baking, but I must say I’m very pleasantly surprised by how easy it’s been to make things with it. Glad you liked the recipe – cheers!

  7. Well, this is quite a mouthful, isn’t it? Let me start with your amazing photography – that curd is a sight to behold — no photo trickery? Just an entirely new shade of plum for Sherwin Williams! I’m a curd lover, my favorite so far has to be passion fruit — but looking at yours I can see I’m going to be smitten. I’ve never worked with Rye flour before, but I have a source and I think I’ll have to give ’em a shout because this sounds like a really interesting diversion from my normal sweet breads. I use Juniper berries often for brining pork and chicken, but I’ve never heard of them being used in baking before. Mine are whole berries — do I just put them in my spice grinder and whiz it around for a minute?

    1. Author

      Thank you Lisa! No photo trickery! I couldn’t believe the colour either, but that’s the magic of blueberries I suppose. I haven’t tried a passion fruit curd, but as soon as you said that I knew I wanted to. I’m going to have to keep my eye open for some really good passion fruit and give it a try (I presume you have to get the seeds out to avoid bitterness). You should definitely give your rye source a call, because it’s a wonderful ingredient to work with, and such a breath of fresh air to have a flour with a different fundamental flavour to work with. I’ve been told it makes amazing shortbread too – I’ll have to experiment. As for your juniper berries, you’ve got the right idea – throw the dry ones in a spice grinder and blitz ’em. If they don’t break up quite enough, a mortar and pestle can help too. Good luck!

  8. Another great recipe. I love that you’re using rye in this cake! I’ve been using rye in many of my baked goods for many years now and love it. I used to be afraid of it because I thought it tasted like those dark pumpernickel breads, but then discovered it’s only because they add caraway seeds in them! I think what makes a huge difference too is to buy stone-milled rye flour, it makes all flours better and healthier (less heat) but it also makes it fluffier I find. Love it, and that cakes is so tempting! MMmmmm yum!

  9. We’re so spoiled with the abundance and variety of local berries this time of year. I love that you used a combination of juniper and blueberries, and that you mixed a little rye in, too. It sounds delicious and looks so pretty. The colour of the curd is unreal.

  10. I love everything about this! I always love using local ingredients too, and we do that as much as possible. I love the flavors you have combined here, and it just sounds so tasty. I love your explanation of the different ryes, I have learned so much! The curd color is absolutely amazing, and I am just dreaming of everything that I can put it on. So perfect!

  11. This sounds amazing, I love how you have kept everything so local! And the color of that curd is nothing short of amazing, I can’t wait to try it out!!

  12. OMG, YUM!!!! I cannot get over how amazing this looks. And so darn pretty too! Definitely saving this one!

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