Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

This cake was essentially a giant muffin, which is quite unfortunate if you, like me, don't like muffins. Something to do with the texture, which is always a deal breaker with me. No matter how good something tastes, if I don't like the texture, I can't eat it.

Personal idiosyncrasies aside, be rest assured that the cake did not go to waste. My grandmother took a liking to it and must've eaten a good quarter of the entire thing. And my 12 year old cousin Eric, whose usual reaction to whatever baked goods I bring over is a straightforward "I don't like your cooking!", had two slices.


Blueberry Buttermilk Cake
adapted from Gourmet, June 2009

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries (raspberries, etc.)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1/3 cup sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then the egg.

At low speed, mix in the flour in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, mixing till just combined. Pour the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top. Scatter blueberries over the top and sprinkle with a bit of sugar.

Bake cake until it is golden and wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool.