LEMON BLUEBERRY POUND CAKE - ISA 2

A beautiful dessert for brunch or other time of the day is this lemon blueberry pound cake. Two sizable lemons are required for the entire preparation. Prior to juicing, be sure to zest them because doing so thereafter is impossible. Additionally, if you're thinking about it, I don't advise baking this cake in a Bundt pan because it tends to adhere to a Bundt but releases readily from a loaf pan.

Since of all the liquids they contain, blueberries sink to the bottom of cakes as they are probably denser and heavier than the batter. To prevent the blueberries from sinking in your lemon-blueberry pound cake (or other cake), toss the blueberries in a little flour before them adding into the batter.

This lemon-blueberry cake does not need to be refrigerated if it will be consumed within a few days. You can saran wrap it and leave it on the counter. If the cake won’t be eaten right away, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to about a week or freeze for up to two months.

The sponge cake uses a lot of eggs compared to flour, and instead of using baking powder, leavening is accomplished by beating air into the whole egg or the egg white. In contrast, the butter must be whisked in first with the flour for making pound cake, and the leavening is provided by a raising agent.

Pound cake is more denser than regular sponge cake and topped with a glaze rather than frosting. Traditionally, it was made with a pound each of butter, sugar, flour and eggs—hence the name pound cake"!

Greasing Fluted (Bundt) Tube Pans to remove cakes easily, use solid shortening to grease plain and fluted tube pans.  

For the cake :

• ½ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of fresh blueberries
• 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs

For the glaze :

• ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, packed
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and set an oven rack in the middle position. Butter a 9x5-inch metal baking pan with a stick of room temperature butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Leave it in a corner for at least 10 minutes while you proceed with the recipe. (It will curdle; that's okay.)
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the leftover flour. Set both aside.
4. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment (or beaters) on medium speed for two to three minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. After cleaning the bowl's edges, add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Scrape the bowl's sides once more. Beat in a third of the flour mixture and then half of the milk mixture with the mixer running on low speed. Another third of the flour mixture, the remaining milk mixture, and then the final third of the flour combination should be beaten in, scraping the bowl as required.
5. With a spatula, fold in the flour-dusted blueberries into the batter until everything is well blended. 
6. Smooth the top after pouring the batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown and an inserted tester comes out clean. After about 10 minutes of cooling in the pan, flip the cake out onto a rack to finish cooling.
8. Transfer the cake to a serving plate once it has cooled.

Make the glaze: In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add more confectioners' sugar or lemon juice as necessary to make a thick but pourable glaze (it should be a little thicker than you'd think, about the consistency of molasses or honey). Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Slice with a serrated knife. The cake can be kept in the open for up to 3 days; store in a covered container or wrap in saran wrap.

If you do not have confectioners or icing sugar, blend 1 cup of normal granulated sugar and one tablespoon corn starch into a powder, as a substitute.

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the glaze) for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it a ziploc bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. (Add the glaze after the cake is thawed.)

Note: You'll need 2 large lemons for the entire recipe. Make sure to zest them before you juice them.