Lemon Blueberry Cake

Tomorrow is Labor Day (well when you read this, it will be Labor Day) … So happy Labor Day!  Can’t believe summer is unofficially over, seems crazy.  But I like fall, so bring it on. 

How did you fill your holiday weekend?   A final pool party, trip to the beach, or lake?  Cookouts and cornhole?  Did you catch some college football? 

I was pretty low key all weekend, hanging out with some friends at the lake, and not doing much of anything.  Today, on the actual holiday, I am running a 5k Bier Run, at the local Oktoberfest.  I think its a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s disease, but I am doing it mainly for the t-shirt.  🙂  Its reason enough for me to run 3.1 miles.  I will let you know how it goes. 

When I get home from my run, toting my t-shirt proudly, and hopefully proud of my time…I will eat a thick slice of this here bread.  I think it will be well deserved (kinda).  This here bread is my final salute to summer.  I know, peaches and apples are more in season right now, but I needed one last bright, refreshing taste of summer, before I dive stomach first into fall! 

Lemon blueberry bread is my answer.  For a taste of summer, lemons will always be my answer, Oh! and blueberries…well they are my all time favorite.  So, in my world, this is a match made in heaven.  Over the weekend, we didn’t know if this lemony loaf should be called a cake or a bread.  Its like a muffin loaf.  Call it what you want, I’ll call it good. 

Lemon Blueberry Cake/Bread

adapted from Ina Garten

Makes 1 Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 +1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Tbsp Flour, extra
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 Eggs
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Zest – 3 Lemons
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2/3 Cup Melted Butter, cooled slightly
• 1 Cup Blueberries, fresh, rinsed, and picked over for stems
• 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice – 4 to 5 lemons
• 1/3 Cup Sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray/butter loaf pan.  Fitting a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan,will ease removal.

In a mixing bowl, sift together 1 + 1/2 Cups flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together, eggs, 3/4 Cup sugar, yogurt, lemon zest, vanilla.  Slowly whisk in flour mixture.  Fold in melted butter until incorporated. 

Toss blueberries with 1 tbsp of flour and then fold blueberries into the batter.

Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan and place in oven for 45 to 50 minutes.  Or until toothpick comes out clean.  If loaf is getting too brown on top, loosely tent with a piece of tinfoil. 

While cake is baking, place 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup lemon juice in small saucepan over low heat and cook until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and let cool. 

When cake is done, remove from oven, and let cool for ten minutes.  After ten minutes, remove cake from pan, and place on a cooling rack over a sheet pan. Take a toothpick or skewer and poke holes evenly all over the cake and using a pastry brush, brush the lemon-sugar mixture over the warm cake.  Let it soak in.  (you can pour the mixture over the cake, but brushing it on works best).  Cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy!