Becky's Blueberry Cake

By tjanddj

Ingredients

• CAKE:
• 4 cups fresh or frozen wild Maine blueberries (if frozen, do not thaw)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tossing with the blueberries
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup milk
• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• Grated rind of 1 orange (optional)

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from pressherald.com

Preparation

Step 1

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour.

In a medium bowl, toss the blueberries with about a tablespoon of flour to coat. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. With the beaters running, sprinkle in ¼ cup sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer the egg whites to another clean, dry bowl.

Add the butter to the mixer bowl (no need to wash it first) and with the beaters running, gradually add the remaining 2 cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the salt, vanilla and egg yolks, mix well.

Combine the flour and baking powder and add to the butter mixture alternatively with the milk, combining well after each addition.

Fold in the egg whites until fully combined.

By hand using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the blueberries (don’t worry if they are not uniformly mixed in, they will spread out as the cake bakes).

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the butter with the cream cheese until well combined. Beat in the vanilla.

Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until the icing is a spreadable consistency. Add the orange zest, if using.

After frosting the cake, allow it to chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before slicing.