Blueberry Cake

• servings: 10 servings
• active time: 2 minutes
• total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar (210 grams)

5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, (If using frozen, do not thaw, frozen weighed 700 grams)

2 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tsp lemon juice (Or more to taste, up to 4 tsp)

2 tbsp + 2 tsp corn starch

2 tbsp + 2 tsp warm water

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups fresh blueberries (weigh this out for best results!) (467 grams)

3 and 1/2 cups cake flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out (384 grams)

3 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar (498 grams)

1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature and cubed (226 grams)

5 tbsp vegetable oil (68 grams)

3/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature (180 grams)

1 cup + 2 tbsp milk (270 grams)

blueberry reduction (from previous step)

2 tbsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg white, at room temperature

2 and 3/4 cups salted butter, softened at room temperature

7 cups powdered sugar (or more to taste, up to 8 cups)

2-3 tbsp heavy cream

1/2 cup blended blueberry filling (from previous step)

two one-ounce bags freeze dried blueberries

1 tbsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Directions

Make the Blueberry Sauce: Add the sugar, blueberries, lemon zest, and juice to a medium large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes. The berries will release quite a bit of liquid. Bring the mixture to a heavy simmer or low boil.Add cornstarch and water to a small bowl and stir to dissolve the cornstarch. Add to the pot then continue simmering, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.It should be thick enough that the blueberries fall off the wooden spoon slowly when you tip out a spoonful above the pot, and if you drag your finger through the juice on the back of the spoon, it should hold a trail. If it's thin, bring it back to a simmer and cook for a few more minutes to thicken. Or add an additional 1/2 to 1 tsp corn starch with equal parts water. Stir in the vanilla last. Transfer to a pie dish or cake pan to cool quickly in the fridge. Make-Ahead: This can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.

Make the Blueberry Reduction: Rinse and dry your blueberries. Add to a food processor and blend until you have blueberry liquid. Push this through a strainer to get out all the seeds and skins - be thorough here. You should have 388 grams of the sieved juice. Add this blueberry juice to a small saucepan over medium high heat and cook, stirring frequently, to reduce it and cook off the water. Cook for about 14-18 minutes, until it's reduced to a thick paste and you have just 105 grams of blueberry reduction (you'll need to pour the mixture into a bowl and weigh it once or twice towards the end to ensure you don't cook it too far). Set this aside in a bowl or small measuring cup to cool down while you make the cake batter. Once the filling is cooled, add all of it to a food processor and puree until smooth. Some will be used as cake filling, some in the frosting, and some to top the cake.

Prep for the Cake Layers: Preheat your oven to 325℉ - not 350! Prepare three 9-inch cake pans. Use a paper towel to rub shortening all over the inside of each pan, coating them completely. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit inside each. Place this on top of the greased pan bottom, then grease over the parchment paper. Add a handful of flour, and tap the pan around to evenly coat the entire inside with flour, tapping out the excess.

Make the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Add the cubed butter and vegetable oil, and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed for a minute or two, until the butter is dispersed into the dry ingredients and you have a sandy mixture. If there are still a few large lumps of butter, that's okay. Check that your blueberry reduction has cooled to room temperature before mixing the next ingredients together.In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the room temperature milk, sour cream, vanilla, and blueberry reduction. The blueberry reduction will be thick but should whisk into the other liquid ingredients and disperse with a little effort. Add 2-3 tbsp of this mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients & butter, and mix on medium high just until the mixture starts clumping together. Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium low speed for 15-20 seconds between each. Then, pour in half the liquid mixture while the mixer runs on low, and continue mixing just until the liquid is mixed in. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then repeat with remaining liquid.

Bake: Divide the batter evenly among your three prepared pans. You'll want about 655 grams of batter in each pan. Bake at 325℉ for 29 to 33 minutes, rotating the pans carefully after the first 15 minutes (this helps my layers come out nice and even).Let cakes cool in the pans placed on wire racks for 10 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen, and invert onto the cooling racks to cool completely while you make the frosting.

Make the Frosting: Pulse the freeze dried blueberries in the food processor to a fine powder. In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy, about 60 seconds. Mix in the powdered sugar in a few additions, using heavy cream as needed to help it combine. Mix in the powdered blueberries, pureed blueberry sauce, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Taste and add more powdered sugar if desired.

Assemble: Spread a small dollop of frosting on your cake plate to secure the cake. Place the first cake layer on this, and place the cake plate on top of a cake turntable. Spread 1 and 1/4 cups of frosting over the layer, going past the edge a smidge. Pipe a border around the cake layer, and evenly spread 1/3 cup of blueberry filling into the center, going up to the edge of the border. Place the second cake layer on top and Spread any frosting "overhang" between the two layers to seal them together. Chill for 5-10 minutes to set things so the layers don't slide around. Repeat with the second layer. Add the final layer upside down for a flat top, and give the cake a thin layer of frosting on top and on the sides. Use a cake scraper to smooth out and remove excess. This is your crumb coat, so don't fret if it isn't perfect. Pop the cake in the fridge for 20-30 minutes or until the frosting is set. Then, frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting, smoothing things with the cake scraper or offset spatula. Use remaining frosting to pipe a border on top, if desired. (I used the Wilton 6B tip).Add some of the remaining blueberry puree to the top of the cake, to fill in between the piped border. (You can also serve this extra sauce on the side.) Add fresh blueberries on top for decoration.

Serve & Store: Once the cake is frosted, chill it for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftover cake in the fridge in an airtight container or cake carrier, with plastic wrap pressed tightly over the cut portion of the cake to help prevent drying out. Leftovers keep well for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 1581 kcal
• Total Fat: 84 g
• Saturated Fat: 48 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
• Trans Fat: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 255 mg
• Sodium: 978 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 204 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 163 g
• Protein: 10 g