Tuesday 30 August 2016

Blueberry Orange Cake


Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter (175 ml)
1 1/2 cups white sugar (375 ml)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Finely chopped peel of 2 oranges
2 cups all-purpose flour (500 ml)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (7 ml)
3/4 cup milk (175 ml)
1 1/2 cups blueberries (wild, fresh preferably)  (375 ml) *
2 Tbs all-purpose flour

* If you are using frozen wild blueberries, rinse them to get the ice crystals off, and then dry in paper towels.

Glaze

3 Tbs frozen orange juice concentrate (50 ml)
1 cup sifted icing sugar (250 ml)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C)

1.  Grease a 10-inch (25 cm) tube pan and dust with flour.

2.  Cream the butter until light and fluffy; slowly beat in the sugar with an electric mixer (or you can use a sugar substitute) until blended.

3.  Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla and orange peel. Peel the orange rind using a potato peeler, and avoid getting any of the white part of the peel. Then finely chop the peel with a knife.

4.  Sift 2 cups of flour and baking powder together; add to batter alternatively with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or spatula. Mix only until blended.  Do not overmix.

5.  Toss the blueberries with the 2 tablespoons of flour and gently fold into the batter.
 Spoon into the prepared pan. And spread out evenly with a spatula.

6.  Bake at 350F (180C) for 50-55 minutes or until the center of the cake is firm. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out to cool on a rack.

For the glaze, mix the sugar with the orange juice concentrate and add more liquid if needed. While the cake is still warm, drizzle the icing over the top. The glaze is optional. You can also just dust the top of the cake with sifted icing sugar (powdered sugar).