Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

July 18, 2011



In the fruit family, blueberries are like the wild, free-spirited cousins who breeze into your life about once a year in between trips around the globe and beg you to take advantage of their brief stay...as opposed to bananas, who spend their days in a dusty bowl or waiting patiently at the bottom of a desk drawer.

This cake is the perfect way to showoff the baking prowess of blueberries. Even though buttermilk is married to biscuits, and blueberries to muffins, the two of them are soul mates who didn't meet each other on time (been there...) Anyway, once united, they create a spectacular, moist cake that's elegant in it's simplicity yet deliciously rebellious. One bite and you'll fall in love, and perhaps reminisce about the one that got away, i.e., you'll be a hot mess of happiness and regret by the time you've eaten your way half-way through the pan and watching "An Affair to Remember". Cheers. ;-)



Blueberry Buttermilk Cake (adapted from Gourmet Magazine 2009 issue) Print

Ingredients
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (146 grams) plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract, or 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 large egg
1/2 cup (118 ml) well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup (5 ounces or 140 grams) of fresh blueberries

method
Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, gently tap out any excess flour.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and 2/3 cup (146 grams) sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes.) Beat in the almond extract and lemon zest. Add the egg and beat well, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

On low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined. Be gentle, don't over mix.

Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter the blueberries on top of the batter and sprinkle the entire surface with the remaining sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake tests clean with a toothpick.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting it. Once it's removed, gently place a plate on top of it and flip it over so that the berry side is facing up.

Makes one svelte 9-inch round cake.

11 comments:

  1. A delightful cake! So soft and fluffy.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I lovedddd your description of this cake, made me want to try it straight away! And what saddens me is up until yesterday we had a bush brimming with fresh blueberries outside but the pesky birds nabbed them all over the space of one night! I might have to make a special purchase just to try out this lovely :)

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  3. ps i only have an 8 inch cake pan or a 9 inch ceramic fluted tart pan, if i did try it what would you recommend to use if either is possible?

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  4. You and I so often are in synch. I was just looking for a recipe that used both blueberries and buttermilk. Your cake looks wonderful, and I'll be sure to try it.

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  5. Blueberries in baked goods are just the best! I'm still stuck on raspberries and cherries, but I'll get to this very soon!

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  6. I now know what I will be doing with my blueberries.This looks moist and light and oh so good!

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  7. @TheProcrastobaker, I would use the 8-inch round pan (a tart pan may not be high enough to accommodate all the fluff.) If you use an 8-inch pan, be sure to increase the baking time by a minute or two. :-)

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  8. Just the thing what I want to stick my fork into.
    Mimi

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  9. perfect texture, I'd really love a slice!!

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  10. I love anything with blueberry. This looks absolutely amazing! Gorgeous work, as always!

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  11. Buttermilk always makes a cake more moist, and your blueberry fuss-free cake is no different!:)

    I'm hosting a giveaway on my blog and this would be a perfect addition to the roundup, if you'd be kind enough to send your entry in!

    http://www.funandfoodcafe.com/2011/07/buttery-throwdown-blog-event-and.html

    Thanks, and I hope you can participate in the event!

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Thanks for visiting, and for taking the time to read through my ramblings!
If you have a recipe comment or question, I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Baking!
♥ Valerie

 

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