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Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

by Barbara Freund

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