In spite of being slightly adventuresome and knowing how to swim, up until this past week I couldn't bring myself to get into a single person kayak. But as fate would have it, we had access to two single person kayaks up at the lake cottage last week. In addition, the lake seemed to be relatively calm. If there was ever an overcome my fears opportunity, this was it. The universe was talking. All I needed to do was listen and then find someone to be my 'guide', to teach me how to paddle, and to have enough patience as I processed it all. My nephew was the one who drew the proverbial short straw. If you are going to have someone help you navigate lake waters all by yourself, having an engineering degreed, experienced kayaker nephew is what you want. Better yet, someone you love and trust enough not to make too much fun of you when aren't processing the directions ("Hold your paddle vertical."...."What does that mean?"). I am probably now skilled enough to be dangerous out on the water! The third time we went out on the lake and into the channel was the charm. My confidence being in the kayak went from 0 to 90 in spite of not being able to get myself out of the kayak without falling into the water. After kayaking on the lake for almost an hour, I could have stayed out even longer. Not only because I had enough strength left in me and the lake water was like glass, but mostly because it was nice being able to spend time with my nephew (even if he did make fun of me). Spending time with my sister's family for a couple of days at their happy place is always memorable. And this year was no exception. The 2019 summer at the lake in Pentwater, Michigan during Fourth of July week be remembered for so many reasons but especially as the one where I finally learned to overcome my fear of single person kayaking!
Just as there are many long standing family traditions in my sister's family during the lake week, I too have created a few of my own. Stopping at the blueberry farm on my way home is one of them. Only this year my favorite blueberry farm hadn't yet opened for the season due in large part to the crazy wet spring weather. Fortunately, the antique shop across the street was open. My disappointment in not bringing home fresh Michigan blueberries was going to be short-lived. It is probably a really good thing this store is slightly more than three hours from where I live. Because I wouldn't just be a regular once a year customer. This is one of those shops where there is almost too much too look at, if there is such a thing. Anyone who loves old things and gets great pleasure from 'the hunt' could easily be lulled into spending hours walking through the aisles and browsing through all of the booths. Except I was on a mission to get home at a reasonable hour so it was more of a whirlwind stop. My eyes were drawn to some century old silverware, some Flow Blue plates and platter, a set of six French porcelain gratin dishes, a blue swirled graniteware pie pan, and a pint sized glass milk bottle. They all came home with me. As for blueberries, well the ones I bought at the grocery store when I got home were still beautiful enough for this Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake with Citrus Glaze.
I love the combination of blueberries and lemons in crisps, cobblers, pies, and cakes. The delicate sweet, fruity flavor of the blueberries and the tartness of lemons are a pairing made in heaven. And heavenly may be the best way to describe this moist, dense yet light, incredibly delicious Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake with Citrus Glaze. Even with the citrus glaze providing a little more sweetness, you could easily justify eating this cake for breakfast.
The inspiration for this recipe came from the fabulous new cookbook "Simple Cakes: All You Need to Keep Your Friends and Family in Cake" by Odette Williams. As the title of the book suggests, all of the recipes in this book are simple to make. This one is no exception. I used vegetable oil instead of grapeseed oil and a whole milk Icelandic cream-skyr instead of a whole milk Greek yogurt. Both changes worked perfectly. But whether you use a whole milk Greek yogurt or an Icelandic cream-skyr, the key is using a whole milk one. More than likely you will need at least two lemons for this recipe in order to get enough juice for both the cake and the glaze. And speaking of the lovely thick glaze, I should have increased the amount of it before pouring over the top of the cake. I definitely will the next time. The recipe below reflects those increased amounts.
There is beauty in simplicity. There is also great flavor. The cake batter easily comes together with a couple of bowls and a whisk. No need for bringing out the mixer. To ensure the blueberries don't sink to the bottom of the cake, toss them in some all-purpose flour before folding them into the batter.
After pouring the batter into the lined and greased 9" springform pan, the cake bakes in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 45-55 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or when it easily springs back when you lightly press on it.
The aroma coming out of the oven was intoxicating. It was a bit of a challenge to wait for it to cool to room temperature before pouring on the glaze and slicing into it.
As far as glazes go, I think I have discovered my new favorite. Sifted confectionary sugar, room temperature unsalted butter, boiling water, and freshly squeezed lemon juice create one of the most luscious, thickest glazes I have ever made. Not only do I love its' texture, but it hides all of the cakes imperfections. There are two other things you should know about the glaze. First, thicker is better (unless you are big fan of a runnier one). You want your glaze pourable, but on the thick side. Second, pour the glaze continuously over the center of the cake to get the most even distribution. You may or may not need to tilt the cake slightly if the glaze is not running evenly in all directions.
I used slightly less than a pint of fresh blueberries in the cake batter. There were bursts of blueberriness in every slice. The remaining berries were used to pile on center of the glazed cake. The freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest brought about the perfect amount of lemony tartness to the cake.
The Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake with Citrus Glaze will definitely satisfy a sweet tooth craving without being too sweet. It is simply a perfect cake.
Whether you get your fresh blueberries from a blueberry farm, the farmer's market, or the grocery store, you want to get some to make this Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake with Citrus Glaze. It is one of those cakes blueberry and lemon lovers will be smitten with in the first bite. You can make the cake early in the day and glaze just before you are ready to serve. It is definitely one of those cakes worth turning on the oven for. Even if it's a sweltering hot day. Who knows, this cake may be one of the most memorable ones you make this summer. Or maybe even it will become a new summer dessert tradition. And who doesn't like to create memorable moments and start new traditions?
Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake (slight adaptation to the Berry Yogurt Cake recipe from Odette William's cookbook 'Simple Cake: All You Need to Keep Your Friends and Family in Cake')
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Cake
2 1/4 cups (290 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup (180 ml) vegetable oil (or can use grapeseed oil)
1 cup (230 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt (see notes)
Finely grated zest of one large lemon
1/3 cup (80 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (see notes)
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
8 ounces (226 g) fresh blueberries
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
Citrus Glaze
1 1/2 cups (173 g) confectionary sugar, sifted
1 1/2 Tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Directions
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Butter sides of the pan and the parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Over a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar until combined.
4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
5. Mix the blueberries with one tablespoon of flour. Fold the blueberries into the cake batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
7. Bake in the center of the oven, rotating midway through the baking process, for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should bounce back when lightly pressed.
8. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
9. Run a knife along the edge of the pan to release the cake from the pan. Remove cake from pan and place on a cooling rack. Let cake come to room temperature before pouring on the glaze.
10. Transfer cooled cake to a platter or cake stand.
Citrus Glaze and Assembly
1. Place the sifted confectionary sugar in a medium sized pouring bowl. Make a well in the center and place the butter in it.
2. Pour the boiling water over the butter to melt it.
3. Add in the lemon juice. Whisk until the glaze is smooth and thick (yet pourable). Note: If glaze is too thick, add a little more water.
4. Pour the glaze over the top center of the cake, so it evenly distributes over the cake. Note: You may need to gently and evenly tilt the cake to enable the glaze to drip over the sides.
5. Garnish the center of the cake with a handful of fresh blueberries before serving.
6. Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. The cake will be good for up to 2 days.
Notes: (1) I used Siggi's Whole Milk Yogurt, an Icelandic cream-skyr, instead of the Greek yogurt and loved how it worked in this cake. (2) More than likely you will need 2 lemons to get enough juice for both the cake and the glaze. (3) When glazing the cake, I didn't think there was enough of it. So the recipe included in the post increases the ingredients by an additional half. (4) Instead of making the cake in a 9" springform pan, you can make it in a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Baking time will still be 50-55 minutes.
Ludington and Pentwater, Michigan (July 2019)
