Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

Since I've had a pile of lemons lying around on the kitchen counter the past few days, I figured it was time to put them to good use. Even if it was just with one of them. I had some extra precious blueberries in the fridge that were going to go bad if I didn't do something quick with them. So this afternoon I was on a quest to find a great recipe incorporating both, and man once you're really looking for something is it easy to find! Especially since both are in season. Recipes were popping up everywhere. I had more than enough to choose from, which made my decision harder. I ended up, though, just referring to a great "colorful" cookbook called Apples For Jam which I am sure most of you have heard of. I bought the cookbook months ago and this is the first recipe I actually made! Hurray! The photography is amazing and inspiring and makes me want to bake and cook and create a book of my own! Maybe someday. The author makes nice and simple home style comfort foods and lots of Italian and pasta dishes, such as Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni, Penne with Shrimp, Cream, and Tomato, Baked Butternut Squash with Butter and Sugar, Orange Juice and Olive Oil Cake with Pine Nuts. I could go on and on. Entrees, homemade ice creams and desserts, drinks and more, this cookbook has everything with extra cuteness and added cherries on top. Every now and then there is child photography and scribbled crayon art sprinkled throughout the pages. There are even color themed chapters that match the color of the food as well! Enough said. 

So I decided to make the Blueberry Buttermilk Cake, since I had some extra blueberries to spare and had some leftover buttermilk, of all things. So yeah, finally something that isn't vegan! It's quite nice, topped with blueberries and raw sugar. The only thing I'd do different next time is incorporate berries into the actual batter, not just sprinkle on top. Otherwise you're just left with plain old cake (not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just I like actually biting into something if that makes any sense). And I'd add some lemon extract along with the lemon zest. Overall, a great summer dessert that pairs well with vanilla bean ice cream. 

Yes, I know I just posted a billion pictures of the same thing, it was just too hard to choose a few. They all turned out surprisingly so nice!

Blueberry and Buttermilk Cake

From Apples For Jam by Tessa Kiros

The recipe also suggests that you can substitute hulled and halved strawberries for the blueberries if you'd prefer. Be sure to use fresh fruit also.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half white, half whole wheat pastry)

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup superfine sugar

freshly grated nutmeg

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 cup fresh blueberries

2 1/2 Tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease and flour a 12 by 8-inch pan (probably not necessary--I used a round pottery baking dish) with sides at least 2 inches high. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the sugar and a few good grinds of nutmeg. Put the eggs in another bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the buttermilk, butter, and lemon zest, and beat together well. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix gently with a wooden spoon just until everything is combined. If you beat too hard, the cake will be tough.

Spoon the mixture into the pan, spreading it thinly to reach all sides. Scatter the blueberries over the top and sprinkle with raw sugar. Put in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center of the cake comes out clean (took me 30 minutes). Leave to cool in the pan before cutting. Can keep well in a sealed container for up to a week.

A few other things:

-This is really rad and amusing. Especially Jack Black's interview. He's so into it, I love it. I love Jack Black. Period. Yes, I have a ridiculous crush on Jack Black. School of Rock is on my top five favorite movies list. Anyway, watch the interview, it's great. He's kind of particular about texture like I am too. I love the way he describes it. Anyway, this is such a great idea. How lucky this lady is to be able to do this and meet some great people and find out "their" food. The hip hipster indie bands seem to be mainly vegetarians and vegans. Go figure. Chris Walla's Peanut Butter Veggie Sausage Toast actually sounds quite good, too. I think I might have to experiment...

-This which is kind of like a temporary substitution for Tastespotting. It's supposed to come back soon! 

-Homemade Naan which I promise I will make some day in the near future. 

-This T-shirt and bag from Black Sheep Heap on Etsy. So clever! I want one!

I won these Fireking Bird Mugs on eBay today!