This summery cake was another favourite with the colleagues last week. A vanilla sponge with plenty of blueberries adding moisture and a crispy coconut topping. It is even delicious for non-coconut fans like myself.

The original recipe suggests serving this cake in more shallow squares but I prefer a whole cake, it looks more impressive that way.

Blueberry cake with crispy coconut topping, serves 10

240 g caster sugar

100 g butter, softened

3 egg

100 ml water

240 g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

250 g blueberries

Coconut topping:

125 g butter

80 g caster sugar

50 ml/50 g golden syrup

2 1/2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp milk

300 ml desiccated coconut

Preheat oven to 175C. Cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at the time and beat in between. Add the water dry ingredients. Pour the batter into a buttered round cake tin, 20-23 cm diameter. Scatter the berries on top. Bake until the cake has set a little, about 30 minutes. 

Melt the butter for the topping in a saucepan. Add the other ingredients, apart from the coconut, and bring to the boil. Let it thicken. Add the coconut last. Spread onto the cake and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp on top. Leave to cool. Dust with icing sugar before serving.