Blueberry Creamcheese Coconut Cake

Spring has officially started. And even though Hamburg's weather hides this miracle I already have the proof. The birds started singing so loud and so diversely that all the other city noises disappeared. The sun shows up more often granting us its' attention, the wind becomes weaker and the days are now much longer. So long that when I came yesterday back from work I could even make nice pictures of a meal for my next post. Yuppy! Sounds like a plan ;)

But coming back to now and here I want to share an easy recipe of a Blueberry cake with Creamcheese. Why will you like it? Because it is easy, healthy, wholewheat, full of flavors, sugar free, low fat and clean. And if you plan to invite guests for Easter this cake will be the right decision. I baked it last weekend to make our coffee time even more colourful. And since in our family the cakes with creamcheese are always welcome I made a little improvisation from available ingredients. As a basic recipe I used my mother's sponge cake called "Eskimo". Even if you ask me the recipe in the middle of the night I will tell you directly all the steps. This basic recipe is always good to have for the times when you cannot make long research among all the cooking books and food blogs. Main thing - it should be bullet proof. And trust me - it is!

So having the basic recipe you can always be creative and complete it with any cream or fruit you prefer. Even without cream filled with apples it tastes perfectly. So note it, share and enjoy;)

 Ingredients:

yields 23 cm cake

for sponge cake (adopted from mother's "Eskimo")

100g wholewheat buckwheat flour

50 g white flour

30 g wholewheat spelt flour

2 mashed bananas

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamon

2 tsp baking powder

10 tbsp ice cold water 

4 eggs

0.5 cup agave syrup

sprinkle of salt

for the syrup

raspberry jam

for the cream

500 g low fat creamcheese

3 tbsp coconut cream
5 sheets gelatin
lemon zest from 1 lemon
1/3 cup agave syrup
250 g blueberries
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the sponge cake preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare your springform in advance: butter and line it with parchment paper. Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Into the bowl with egg yolks add mashed bananas and agave syrup. Using a hand mixer whisk all the time in the medium speed  and add gradually 10 tbsp of cold water, cinnamon, cardamon, sift all flour types with baking powder. Set aside.

In another bowl beat egg whites with a sprinkle of salt until stiff peaks. Fold accurately egg whites into the dough not to ruin the air bubbles. Pour the dough into your springform and bake for 30 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean.

Let the cake cool down completely. Cut off the top of the sponge to make it even and only then slice it into 2 equal layers. 

For the cream mix creamcheese with agave syrup and coconut cream. If you are wondering which coconut cream I am referring to, do not be scared. It is just a thick top cream from coconut milk. Add lemon zest and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl pour cold water and soak gelatin sheets for about 5-7 minutes*. Then preheat them on a low heat and stir into the cream. Drop in half of washed blueberries and fold couple of times. Ready!

*If you are using gelatin powder, just follow the instructions on the package. 

And now it's time to assemble the cake. Put bottom layer on a plate, brush it with raspberry jam. Spread the cream evenly over the sponge. Then cover it with the second layer and spread some frosting on top and from the sides as well. Decorate it with the blueberries. Place the cake into refrigerator for at least 4 hours. 

Tip!

If you prefer sugar free cake, use e.g. stevia sweetened jam of your choice or skip this step. If you find the jam too thick just mix it with some water. It is up to you.

Enjoy Easter time and the Blueberry Cake!!!

 

Easter bread - original Ukrainian recipe

When you say here is Germany that you celebrate Easter differently and a week later (as it is this year) people do not stop asking questions. Therefore I would like to present today our traditional Easter food. For all who have questions and just those curious ones. This is the bread you will definitely see on the table of each Ukrainian family these days. Until it disappears, as it usually happens.

Ingredients:

500-600 g white flour
 4 eggs
1 cup sugar
125 g butter
250 ml milk
35 g fresh yeast
30 g raisins
30 g candied orange zest
sprinkle of salt
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
200 g sugar powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
decorations

For the dough heat milk until 36°C. Into a deep bowl with warm milk add 35 g of fresh yeast. Add 1/2 cup of sugar and portion by portion 2 cups of flour. Mix well and set aside in warm place for 30 minutes. Meanwhile melt butter. In a bowl using electric mixer mix 1/2 cup of sugar, salt and 4 yolks. 2 egg whites put into fridge (they will be used in the end for white glaze) and other two mix until not very thick foam. Into yolk-sugar mixture add vanilla sugar.

After 30 minutes of waiting time until yeast mixture is ready to be added into dough, pour yolk-sugar mixture into it and fold with silicon spoon carefully not to ruin the bubble structure. Portion by portion add 2 cups of flour and fluffy egg whites. Pour melted butter and add rest of flour. Mix well. Knead the dough in a bowl for about 5-10 minutes until it is elastic and not sticky anymore. Sprinkle with flour and set aside covered for an hour.



The process of preparing good dough is very careful, time-consuming and calm. They say, the more Easter breads you taste during these holy days, the more wishes of yours will come true. It is a big tradition and a good sign when a woman bakes Easter bread. So a lot of women try to add something special in the recipe and make their Easter bread better than others'.

In an hour the dough is ready to be kneaded for the last time. Oil the surface a little bit so that the dough does not stick to your hands or surface. Knead for about 10 minutes. Add raisins and orange zest. Form a ball and put it into the oiled form so that 1/3 of the form is left free as the bread will rise. 30 minutes should pass until the bread is finally put into oven. It should be baked at 180°C for about 40 minutes. To check the readiness put a wooden thin stick inside the bread and make sure it is dry.

While the bread is in the oven we can make glaze. We beat cold egg whites with a sprinkle of salt adding sugar powder until the mixture gets thick.

When the bread is ready, it should be taken out of the form and set aside to cool down for about 15 minutes. After that the glaze can be spread over it. For decorations use your fantasy. However, traditionally it is decorated with two letters: XB - short abbreviation from "Christ is risen" in Ukrainian. I used little sugar hearts and some almond leaves.

Now you can feel yourself a little bit Ukrainian. Some colored eggs and spring sun...
All in all: Happy Easter!