Blueberry Almond Cake with Lemon Drizzle

This recipe popped up yesterday from Beantown Baker and I knew I immediately had to make it. I made a list because I was missing a few things and ran to the grocery store. It was well worth the extra trip. It was simply amazing. The cheesecake filling covered in blueberries was an extra surprise and was creamy and delicious. It was pretty lemony, which is ok with me because I love lemon.

I would suggest using a springform pan; I used a 9-inch cake pan and it would have looked so much prettier had I been able to remove the cake from the pan. But my springforms are still packed away somewhere from when we moved (a year ago, yes). I also overbaked the actual cake part because the cream cheese filling wouldn't set. But, even with that, it was still AH-MAZING.

Blueberry Almond cake with Lemon Drizzle
as seen on Beantown Baker, adapted from Modern Comfort Food

Ingredients
For the cake: 1 1/2 cup flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt A pinch of nutmeg, freshly ground 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2/3 cup plain yogurt 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 tsp almond extract

For the topping:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp flour
1 egg
2 tsp lemon zest
2 C fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 C sliced almonds

For the drizzle:
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 C powdered sugar

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9-inch round cake or spring form pan and lightly dust it with flour.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup brown sugar and beat for approximately one minute until light and well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for approximately two minutes after each addition. Alternately, add one-half of the flour mixture and one-half of the yogurt, beating briefly on low after each addition. Repeat. Stir in the lemon juice and almond extract. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon flour, 1 egg, and the lemon zest for approximately two minutes until very smooth and creamy. Spoon this cheese mixture over the cake batter and spread, leaving a one-inch margin of cake batter exposed around the perimeter of the cake. Sprinkle the blueberries over the cream cheese mixture and the sliced almonds around the perimeter of the cake.
5. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake to room temperature and serve.
6. For the glaze, whisk together the lemon juice with the powdered sugar and drizzle the mixture over the top of the cake.

Berry Crumble

A delicious way to use all of those yummy summer berries! I did not have any raspberries, so I used some strawberries instead. I also doubled the recipe but am posting Ashlee's original recipe. If you can bear putting the oven on for a little bit during the heat of summer, this was definitely worth it!

Berry Crumble
courtesy of A Year in the Kitchen
Serves 4 (I doubled the recipe so we had a larger pan, which really just meant we had larger servings)

Ingredients
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 tsp almond extract
1 lb cherries, pitted and halved
1 pint of blueberries
1 pint of blackberries
1/2 pint of raspberries (I used strawberries instead)


1/2 C rolled oats
1/4 C white whole wheat flour
1/4 C packed brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp butter, cold
1/4 C unsweetened applesauce

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions
-Preheat oven to 325
-Mix berries with sugar, cornstarch, salt, and almond extract and pour into a baking dish.
-Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder.
-Cut butter into oat mixture with pastry cutter or forks.
-Add applesauce and stir to combine.
-Crumble oat mixture over berry mixture in baking dish.
-Bake 20-25 minutes; serve warm with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Berries-N-Bits

I wanted a light, refreshing dessert to serve while my brothers and sister-in-law were over for a cookout. A good friend made this for our Superbowl party and I had to make it again. It is a delicious switch to spring and summer desserts from the more heavy desserts of the fall and winter. Plus, who doesn't love teeny chocolate chips!

Berries-n-Bits
Ingredients
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
1 large packet instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 C cold water
1 tub whipped topping
36 vanilla wafers
3 qts strawberries or assorted berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
3/4 C mini chocolate chips

Directions
-In a bowl, combine condensed milk and water and mix well. Add pudding mix and beat until smooth. Chill for 5 minutes. Fold in whipped topping.
-In bottom of 3 quart glass bowl, layer two cups of pudding mix. Top with half of cookies, half of berry mixture, half of chocolate chips. Add another layer of pudding, cookies, berries and chocolate chips. Garnish as desired.

Berry Cobbler

I was digging around in my recipe box today, trying to find something to make for dessert for tonight. I always forget I have an actual recipe box; normally I rely on my many cookbooks or the internet for ideas and recipes. I have felt as if we are in a "food rut" lately, so I was trying to find something I have not made before, and I stumbled across this recipe. I wanted to make it because it sounded yummy and was a Weight Watchers recipe (since I went back and rejoined meetings again today). I have no idea where I actually got the recipe, but I had the points and servings written down, so I was all about it. It smelled amazing and I could not wait to try it. And it was a total hit with the entire family!! I served it with fat free Cool Whip on the side!

Berry Cobbler

Weight Watchers points: 4 per serving (1 C of fruit and 1 biscuit)

Filling:

2 C blackberries

2 C strawberries, hulled and halved

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp corn starch

1/4 C sugar

Biscuits:

2/3 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground cardamom (I do not have this, so just omitted it)

1/2 C buttermilk

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 400.

-In a shallow, 2 quart ovenproof dish, stir berries, 1/4 tsp salt, cornstarch, and 1/4 C sugar.

-Bake until hot, about 5-10 minutes

-Prep biscuits: In a bowl, stir together flour, 1 tsp sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, and cardamom.

-Stir in buttermilk to form a sticky dough

-Remove fruit from oven and drop dough on fruit to form 4 biscuits.

-Bake about 25 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving