Blackberries Coconut Slices – Gluten Free

Blackberries are in season, and today before I left work, went into the back garden and noticed these juicy berries clinging on the branches…..surely I could not just leave them there to wilt away. Picked these sweet sharp berries and I had plans for them. And yes decided to make some Gluten Free slices using coconut flour. They’ve turned out better than I anticipated, coconut flour has a high absorption therefore it is important to adjust the amount of liquid you add to the cake mixture.

If you don’t want to use coconut flour you can do it with just Gluten free flour and add some desiccated coconut in the cake mixture. 20150908_185038

 Ingredients Makes 4 generous slices or 16 small squares

  • 100 g coconut flour (I used Nutiva Organic Gluten-Free)
  • 140 g gluten free flour
  • 140 g butter
  • 140g castor sugar
  • 2 medium size eggs
  • 200 g fresh blackberries
  • 1tsp gluten free baking powder
  • Brown granulated sugar for sprinkling pre baking
  • 3-4 Tbs milk

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Fan160°C/Gas mark 4.
  2. Grease a square tine 8”x8” cake tin and line the base with parchment paper.
  3. Start by preparing your dry ingredients and the berries. Sift both the coconut, gluten free flour and baking powder into a bowl.
  4. Next put the blackberries in a bowl sprinkle with 1Tbs sugar. Gently toss, set aside.
  5. Put the butter and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand-held electric whisk together to cream until light and fluffy.
  6. Gradually add egg one at a time, whisk until completely incorporated.
  7. Gently fold in the flour mix, little at a time alternating with some milk (you will find how quickly the flour absorbs the moisture). Continue until all the flour has been incorporated. Should you need to add little more milk it’s fine until you reach a dropping cake mixture consistency.
  8. Add some of the blackberries. Fold very gently so you don’t break the delicate berries.
  9. Spread the mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange the rest of the blackberries on top, sprinkle with the Demerara sugar.
  10. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  11. Leave the cake to cool then cut into cut into slices or squares.
  12. Enjoy with fresh cream or on its own with a nice cup of “Masala Chai”.

Brinda’s Note: This cake makes a great picnic treat.