Lemon Blueberry Loaf

While, I am enjoying the cold weather fruits, I do miss our summer crops.  The beauty of blueberries is that frozen blueberries work in baking.  I am nervous, each time I use them, thinking there will be too much liquid in the batter but the blueberries stay intact and we get to bite into them and taste that juice.  It may not be exactly the same as fresh blueberries but they are good and we get to have our blueberries in the winter months.

The tartness of the lemon plays off the blueberries and makes for a favorite cake.  Usually, I turn my loaf cakes into muffins or mini-cakes but this time, I stayed true to the loaf form.  There is something to be said about slicing a loaf.  It is certainly easier than slicing a bundt cake.  I feel, I have more control over the size of the slices, but that may just be me.

I brought a little sunlight into our kitchen with this cake.

Lemon Blueberry Loaf   adapted from Joy of Baking

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups  gluten-free flour mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons margarine, room temperature

3/4 cup  granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F  and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. 

Spray with a non stick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a loaf  pan (9 x 5 x 3 inch).

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). 

Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in three additions) and milk (in two additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined. 

Gently fold in the blueberries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the 1/4 cup  of sugar and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick and then brush the top of the loaf with the hot lemon glaze.

 Cool the loaf in the pan for about 30 minutes then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

This bread is best served on the day it is made.  (I don’t think it will last, longer than that.

Makes 1 loaf.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins – Barefoot Contessa Family Style

There is a group called Ina’s Garden which is collecting baking recipes, this month.  I decided, since I likeIna Garten, I will participate.  I made good old blueberry muffins.  Ina Garten calls them Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins and I don’t see why she does.  They are plain blueberry muffins with no topping, no streusel, nothing to adorn them.  If it is good enough for Ina, it is good enough for me.  I present you with Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins which have the wonderful ingredient, sour cream.  I love cakes and muffins with sour cream. They are more moist than other baked goods.  I did make some changes to this recipe.  I cut the fat and had partial butter and partial oil.  It seems like a lot of butter to me.  I got 18 muffins rather than the 16 listed.  The changes are included in my recipe.  For the original recipe, it can be found on Food Network and in her cookbook,Barefoot Contessa, Family Style.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

Cook Time:   25 min

Serves:   18 muffins

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 8 tablespoons oil

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream

• 1/4 cup milk

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 18 paper liners in muffin pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the oil and beat for another 2 minutes.  With the mixer on low-speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low-speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a sharp thin knife blade comes out clean.

Mounthwatering Monday @ A Southern Fairytale   

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