The Cake Slice: Shenandoah Valley Blueberry Cake

I can't remember the last time I participated in The Cake Slice. I feel horrible letting the groups I used to be a part of go. I want to bake more, I just can't. Cati has gotten a lot better with letting me do things in the kitchen but once she reaches her I-want-to-be-held point, there's very little I can do to get more time. And that's that I hold her A LOT less now than I used to. It also doesn't help that I am just behind on everything so I never really feel caught up.

This cake is perfect when you have very little time. Prep time is 10 minutes, tops, and you get something that makes those 10 minutes worth it. This cake was gone in 30 minutes of it being baked. Alex said it was one of the best "pound cakes" I have ever made. That's the best way to describe this cake; it's an extremely delicious and buttery blueberry pound cake.

Shenandoah Valley Blueberry Cake
(Recipe from Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott)

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)

Heat the oven to 375F and generously grease a 9 inch square or round pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and stir with a fork to mix well. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat with a mixer at high speed until well combined. Add the egg and beat well for 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl until the mixture is smooth and light.

Stir in half the flour mixture then half the milk, mixing just enough to keep the batter fairly smooth and well combined. Add the remaining flour, then the rest of the milk, mixing gently. Stir in the blueberries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 375F for 30 minutes or until the cake is golden, springs back when touched gently in the centre and is pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Serve a square of cake right from the pan, warm or at room temperature. If its round, let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack or folded kitchen towel for 10 minutes and then turn it out to cool, top side up.