Mini Blueberry Lemon Layer Cakes

These are a delicious, light desert.  Make sure you use fresh blueberries, or if they are not available the best fruit you can find.  Do not use purchased lemon juice for this - you will taste the difference if you use fresh squeezed. From the Food and Drink Summer 2011 magazine

Lemon Curd
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Mint leaves

1. For the lemon curd, whisk together sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolks, eggs and salt in a large, heatproof bowl.  Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water so the bottom of the bowl is about 1 inch above the surface of the water.  Cook, whisking constantly, for about 10 minutes or until curd is thick and pudding like.  Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla until blended.  Immediately transfer to a cool bowl, place plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until chilled, or for up to 3 days.
2. For the cake, preheat oven to 350 F.  
3. Grease the sides of a 9 x 13 inch metal baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.  Beat in lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of milk.  Spread into prepared pan, smoothing top.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes.
6. To assemble cakes, cut cake into 24 squares, then cut each square in half horizontally.  Spread cut side of bottom and cut side of top layers with about 1 tsp lemon curd. Arrange blueberries on bottom layers and replace top layers (cut side down) to sandwich.
7. Just before serving, place cakes on a platter, spread remaining curd on top of cakes and arrange remaining blueberries on top.

Makes 24 mini cakes