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by Barbara Freund
Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake
I can never find enough ways to enjoy blueberries! This recipe makes a 2-layer 8-inch lemon cake with juicy blueberries topped with a delicious fluffy cream cheese frosting.
INGREDIENTS For the cake: 2 1/4 cups cake flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk 4 large egg whites 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract 1 1/2 cups blueberries (if frozen do not thaw) 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for the blueberries) For the frosting: 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch salt
DIRECTIONS • Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. • Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites. • In your mixer bowl, place the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist. Add the butter and beat on medium speed for 3 full minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon extract. • Keeping your mixer on medium speed, add one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the egg/buttermilk mixture and beat until combined. Add the next third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining eggs/ buttermilk. Beat until the batter is smooth. Add the remaining dry ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes more on medium speed.
• Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Gently fold into the batter. • Spoon batter evenly into cake pans and bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely. • Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, 3 minutes. With mixer on low, add powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes more. (If frosting is too soft and you don’t want to add sweetness, use 1 tablespoon cornstarch.) • Frost cake. Garnish with blueberries and lemon slice if desired. Refrigerate. • Serve the cake as close to room temperature as possible. Adapted from wellplated.com September 2020 / ISSUE 116 / Vero’s Voice 23
