Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Blueberries are in season!!!! There are so many blueberries everywhere and I love it.

What to do with so many blueberries……make a casual cake!

This cake is absolutely simple and yummy. It uses lemon zest and buttermilk to set it apart from other blueberry cakes.

This cake would be great to serve for a casual get-together in the evening, or a brunch in the morning!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
• 7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• ½ cup buttermilk

* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness.

If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Blackberry Buttermilk Cake

It’s almost blackberry time! I love this time of year, PERIOD, for so many reasons!!! But it’s always great when berries start to come into season.

I wanted to have a simple dessert to showcase the abundance of blackberries (and raspberies) I had in my fridge.

Raspberries and Blackberries – beautiful!

Spectacular berries…..dont you just want to stick your face in the bowl?

This cake goes together so easily – and uses buttermilk, along with basic ingredients you have in your pantry.

Doesnt that look beautiful before it’s even baked?

And then it looks even more amazing when it’s cooked!

It was so moist and delicious. We made 2 cakes and just sprinkled with sugar prior to baking.

Since this cake is more of a casual brunch/afternoon cake, it doesn’t need icing. The sugar on top was all it really needed to accompany the moistness of the cake and sweetness of the berries. You can also top with whipped cream and more berries.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups blackberries, plus more for serving
• Sweetened whipped cream, for serving (if desired)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 9-inch-round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the paper.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter with the 2/3 cup of sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. At low speed, beat in the buttermilk and dry ingredients in 3 alternating batches, ending with the dry ingredients; do not overbeat. Gently fold the batter just until blended, then scrape into the pan and smooth the top.

Scatter the 1 1/4 cups of blackberries over the batter; lightly press them in. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar over the cake. Bake for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Turn out the cake and remove the paper. Turn the cake right side up and let cool completely. Serve with whipped cream/powdered sugar and more blackberries.

Makes one 9-inch cake.

Cherry Tomato Salad with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing

Are your cherry and grape tomatoes coming in like gangbustersright now?

Ingredients

I am picking at least 7-10 a day and they add up so fast. Sometimes I give them out to friends and co-workers, and other times I am able to consume them on a daily basis.

Dressing and Tomatoes

I was able to make this delicious and healthy salad out of my cherry and grape tomatoes with only 5+ ingredients. It is creamy, without any cream. In a weird way, it could be a nice substitute for a potato salad, too!

Freshly Dressed

This salad is incredibly easy to put together and takes hardly any time. It would be an awesome addition to any summer picnic or BBQ.

Closeup

I ate these so fast I couldnt get a pic

Ingredients:

• 6 cups different-colored cherry/grape tomatoes, halved if large
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tblsp thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Put the cherry tomatoes in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss.

In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, basil, shallot, and garlic. Season with pepper.

Drizzle the dresing over the tomatoes and toss.