If you've been wondering whether you should host an Easter brunch or something of a formal dinner for the upcoming holiday, I'm here to say choose whatever makes you happy. Now, lest you think I'm not being helpful at all, I won't leave you empty-handed. How's this for a gift:
Now, is it dessert? Sure. But could it be an elegant coffee cake on a brunch buffet? You bet! This versatile treasure is Blueberry Biscuit Cake and I'm in love. You can make it ahead of time or just opt to make the blueberry sauce part in advance and serve it warm out of the oven. You can serve it with brunch, as an afternoon snack cake with tea, or as the last hurrah for dessert. It works well and even offers you and your guests a healthy serving of blueberries. It's really hard to go wrong with it.
Unlike some desserts featuring blueberries, this cake has a mere half cup of sugar in the entire recipe. Of course, the berries offer a lot of natural sweetness and this treat is really about showcasing their flavor. The base is a rich, buttery biscuit-inspired cake that does a great job of blending the jobs of cake, biscuits, and crusts in this clever dish. I'm thinking when peaches are in season in late summer, I might try my hand at making another version with them as topping. Yay for versatile recipes!
While it doesn't need it, you could dress this cake up with a dollop of whipped cream when serving it. I think I'd omit that if serving it as part of brunch or an afternoon snack and favor some whipped cream if I wanted to serve this cake as a dessert course. Oh -- and it pairs well with coffee, tea, and dessert wines. Now that's really a cake to bring a smile to your face!
Blueberry Biscuit Cake
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 10 oz. blueberries
- 1 cup flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Stir together the sugar with the water, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small saucepan, then stir in the blueberries. Bring the mixture to a simmer; then simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove the blueberry sauce from the heat and cool.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk together the egg, milk, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl, then add the flour mixture, whisking until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Pour the blueberry sauce evenly over the batter. Bake the cake until a knife inserted into the center of the cake portion comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool the cake on a rack completely. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Leftovers can be kept, wrapped well in foil, at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Yields: 9 servings
- Preparation Time: 50 minutes