blueberry butter cake
pound cake meets blueberry muffin.
hello!
it’s been a minute since my last post, and it’s so good to see you. i reached 5k readers at some point in May, thank you so much. to all the substacks who recommend concha emoji, i appreciate you.
a subscription update:
as of yesterday, the paid option for subscriptions has been paused. it’s a decision i have been considering since the start of 2025. simply put - working full-time and writing/recipe testing is a lot! as of right now, i cannot commit to the schedule i had originally planned for. i am so grateful for everyone who has supported me regardless. it means…so so much.
summer is here and it’s hella hot already in texas. i had plans to share a tres leches recipe first but the testing process sort of left me feeling…unmotivated? so i decided to switch it up.
blueberry butter cake. crisp edges, a crunchy sugar crust and a tight, plush, delightfully golden interior from the butter, yolks and olive oil. blueberries are there too, slightly crushed and rippled throughout.
if you have a stand mixer, use it for this recipe. if you don’t, an electric handheld mixer will work okay. just prepare yourself for many, many minutes on your feet in the kitchen.
the stand mixer power comes in handy particularly during the creaming and emulsification process. the butter must be aerated fully, which takes my stand mixer about 10-12 minutes.
the eggs are beaten in one by one, about one minute per egg (and there are 5 of them…so).
lastly, the olive oil is streamed into the fatty base slowly while mixing on medium speed, allowing the oil to completely emulsify with the butter and eggs.
emulsifying the fats together creates a crumb that is tight, old-fashioned and very ‘sara lee pound cake-y’. because the batter is so thick, the blueberries won’t fall. instead, they remain suspended even as the cake expands. ¡es mágico!
blueberry butter cake
165 grams salted butter softened at room temperature
150 grams dark brown sugar
100 grams cane sugar
zest of 1 lemon large
a few pinches freshly grated nutmeg optional
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large whole eggs room temperature
2 large egg yolks room temperature
60 grams olive oil
130 grams sour cream cold
195 grams all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
450 grams blueberries
300 blueberries crushed slightly
150 whole blueberries for topping
granulated sugar and flakey sea salt for topping
tools for baking
stand mixer or electric handheld mixer
8” or 9” cake pan, square or round
tool for straining butter
blueberry pound cake
preheat oven to 375 F. Line an 8” cake pan with parchment paper.
gently crush 300 grams of blueberries, just until some juices extract, allowing some whole pieces to remain. don’t smash them. set aside 150 grams whole blueberries separately.
in a small bowl, combine 195 grams all purpose flour with ½ teaspoon baking powder. set aside.
to the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 165 grams softened salted butter, 150 grams dark brown sugar, 100 grams cane sugar, zest of 1 large lemon, a few pinches freshly grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract.
beat together on medium high speed until pale, aerated and spreadable, 10-12 minutes. pause to scrap the sides of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
add in the eggs and yolks one at a time. after each addition, beat on medium high speed until fully incorporated before adding the next. scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
once all the eggs and yolks are added and incorporated, bring the mixer to medium speed and slowly pour in 60 grams olive oil. this process should take 2 minutes.
once a homogenous batter has formed, stop the mixer. scrape the sides of the bowl, and ensure everything is properly mixed.
add about half of the flour and baking powder mixture into the bowl, and mix on low until just combined.
next, add 130 grams sour cream. mix on low once again just until combined.
follow with the remaining half of the flour mixture, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. remove the bowl from the stand, and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl well.
to the bowl, fold in the slightly crushed blueberries. stir them in just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
spread the batter into the prepared cake pan. smooth it over and top with the remaining whole blueberries, pressing them in ever so slightly.
sprinkle the entire surface with granulated sugar and flakey sea salt.
bake at 375 F for 45-55 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles and bounces back when pressed gently.
allow the cake to cool in the pan, placed on a wire rack. slice when cooled and enjoy.
i hope you enjoy this one! thank you so much for reading.
Can’t wait to give it try🫐