The lemon-blueberry combo is incredible for several reasons, one of which is clearly the mouth-watering Lemon-Blueberry Pound Cake. But also, unlike many fruit combos, this one is available all year long. The fresh, crisp, sweet flavor of lemon-blueberry takes me to both warm summer evenings, savoring dessert on the back deck and to chilly winter nights, bundled in a blanket near a fire with only a fork protruding.
One of my favorite pass-times on warm summer evenings, besides eating cake, is blueberry picking at my sister’s house. Maybe I’m the only one, but when I go blueberry picking, a few of God’s blue candies bounce right into my mouth. There is also my sister’s 65-pound blind bull terrier following me around nudging me with a cool wet nose to remind me, “sharing is caring.” The sweet blueberry aroma calls to me for snacking on the way home. Then every time I walk by the pail of nature’s sweets, I grab a little handful. So when it comes time for baking Lemon-Blueberry Pound Cake, nary a berry is in sight. Frozen blueberries for the win!
That Fruity Flavor
Blueberries:
- Fresh blueberries are great in season. However, in the dead of winter, fresh blueberries may not have much fruity flavor. In the winter, opt for frozen berries to get all the same yum-factor as summer fresh.
- Make sure to rinse the berries. Baking temperatures should kill bacteria, but cleansing the berries of any pesticides and debris that could be lurking is a must.
- Glance through the berries to remove overripe fruit and pluck any tiny stems that remain.
- If the blueberries are large, consider chopping them in halves or fourths. It’s not a must, but a large blueberry can make a bit of a hole in the cake where it bakes. Smaller berries make a smoother texture throughout the cake.
Lemons:
- Most of the lemon flavor here comes from natural extract, which is easy to keep in the pantry. But fresh lemons are easy to come by year-around as well.
- Lemons at the grocery store tend to be covered in a thin layer of wax to maintain freshness. The FDA says the wax is safe to eat it and it’s a minimal amount anyhow. But, if you prefer to steer clear of said wax, look for unwaxed organic lemons or forgo the zest (but it’s mighty flavorful!!!).
- Microplanes allow you to create fine zest easily from only the yellow, top layer of the lemon, where the citrus fragrance and flavor resides. Accidently incorporating the white pith underneath creates bitterness. And large pieces of zest can cause not-so-pleasant mouth feel. Aim for fine little specks and dazzles of yellow zest throughout the cake. If you don’t have one, check the side of your box grater to see if a little microplane has been hiding in plain sight.
Pound cake isn’t just about flavor. The perfect pound cake has a slightly rounded top that cracks as the cake rises, exposing the soft, tender crumb beneath – and of course, the classic crust that you just won’t find in the grocery store. So. Much. Yum!
And for an extra pop of lemon-y goodness, try it with a dollop of Easy Peasy Lemon Curd.
Lemon-Blueberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2¾ cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cups blueberries, 1 pint
Lemon Glaze (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeeze lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar in an electric stand mixer (or with a hand mixer if your arms are feeling strong) until lightened in color and fluffy.
- (While butter mixture is creaming, combine flour, salt, and baking powder.)
- Add eggs to butter mixture one at a time, mixing until almost fully combined after each addition.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually, alternating with sour cream. Start and end by adding flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly to incorporate all batter.
- Mix in lemon extract and zest.
- By hand, fold in most of the blueberries, reserving a handful to sprinkle on top right before placing the cake in the oven.
- Pour batter into a tube cake pan that has been greased with shortening and top with remaining berries. Bake for about 1 ½ hours at 350°F. Test with a toothpick to ensure doneness.
- Use a knife to scrape the sides of the cake pan to ensure the cake releases well. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes in the cake pan.
- Invert the cake onto a plate and invert again so that the cracked side of the pound cake faces up.
- Cover loosely until fully cooled. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.
- Store in an air-tight container.
Lemon Glaze
- Right before using the glaze, whisk together lemon juice and powdered sure until completely smooth. (If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sift before using.) The glaze should be completely smooth because any lumps of uncombined sugar will look like little white dots on the cake.
