I thought this would be a good week to take a break from pies – not because I’m weary of them; heck, we’re just getting started with the summer pie lineup. It’s because I’m up to my eyeballs in blueberries and busy working my way through some other favorite recipes…
…one of which – this Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake – is just too darn good not to share. This pound cake is a reputation maker. I mean, people swoon when it makes an appearance at summer get togethers. I sometimes wonder if my summer invitations aren’t part of an unspoken package deal.
Them: Now, you ARE bringing your blueberry cream cheese pound cake, aren’t you Ken?
Me: Well, I was planning on it. Would you like me to come in, or should I just drop it off on the screened porch?
Just warning you.
Having made this pound cake about 3,000 times, let me share some time-honored tips for success.
First, make sure your butter and cream cheese are semi-soft before beating them. They should yield to gentle finger pressure, not be squishy. In this summer heat, it’s easy to let them over-soften at room temperature, causing the batter to become a bit slack and not mix or rise the way it should.
Have everything pre-measured, organized, and standing by before you begin mixing. Prepare your loaf pan as directed. Constant starting and stopping can take a lot of the fun out of baking.
Be sure to par-freeze your berries so they don’t burst and cause streaks, turning your batter blue-gray when you fold them in. I spread my berries on a small baking sheet and place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes beforehand.
Finally, be patient with the baking. There’s a lot of batter here and it takes time to bake through. 80 to 90 minutes is not unusual, and depending on the oven I’m using, it’s taken even longer. My preferred tester for this is a thin wooden skewer; toothpicks don’t seem to go deep enough.
So if you’re up to your eyeballs in blueberries too, take a break from pie this week and try this creamy, dreamy pound cake. It’s got some serious keeping properties, by the way, one of the reasons I love to bake it when I have company coming. It will keep a good week in the refrigerator; just let the slices come to room temperature before serving.
STILL GOTTA HAVE A BLUEBERRY PIE? TRY ONE OF THESE FROM OUR PIE ACADEMY ARCHIVES
-Blueberry Ginger Pie with Three-Grain Butter Crust
-Double Crust Blueberry Lime Pie
-Peach Blueberry Pie with Oatmeal Crumb Topping
-Blueberry Sour Cream Crumb Pie
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (but not too soft)
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened (not lowfat)
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon or 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 1/4 cups blueberries (par-frozen or fully frozen)
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon milk, plus more as needed
- a few drops lemon extract or vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- If you haven't already, spread your blueberries on a small rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. (See note below about pans.) Line the bottom and long sides with a single piece of parchment paper, letting it extend over the top edges by a couple of inches.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer - preferably a stand mixer - cream the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl on medium speed, gradually adding the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, on medium-high speed. Scrape the batter down several times. Blend in the vanilla and lemon zest on low speed. Add the dry ingredients, in 3 stages, beating throughly on low speed after each addition.
- Add the blueberries to the batter, folding them in thoroughly by hand. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter, to settle the batter.
- Place the pan on the center oven rack and reduce the temperature to 325°. Bake for about 80 to 100 minutes, until the top is golden brown. A thin skewer - inserted in the middle of the cake - should come out clean. (Note: don't test before 75 minutes have elapsed. Also, if your blueberries were frozen solid, it will take a good 90 minutes to bake.)
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Cool the cake for 30 to 45 minutes, then carefully slide it out of the pan. Cool thoroughly and remove the parchment before applying the glaze.
- To make the glaze, sift the confectioners' sugar into mixing bowl. Add the corn syrup and 1 tablespoon of the milk. Stir well. Gradually whisk in additional milk - no more than about 1/4 teaspoon at a time - to make a thickish glaze that still flows easily. Whisk in the extract, to taste, if using. Transfer the cake to the plate you'll be serving it on. Drizzle the glaze over the pound cake. To store the cake, cover loosely with tented foil so the foil doesn't touch the glaze, then refrigerate. Makes 10 or more servings.
