Have I told you guys how much I love summer berry season? It really is the best! At no other time of year do I get so excited to fill my cart with produce week after week at the grocery store.
There’s a definite hierarchy when it comes to the berries though. Do you play favorites too? Blackberries are down near the bottom of my list, I’m just not a fan of the huge seeds. Raspberries are delicious, but maybe a tad on the tart side for me to really enjoy eating too many of them as is. That leaves strawberries and blueberries, and I am equally enamored with both of them. I swear, I could live off of just those two things all summer long and be one very happy girl!
When it comes to baking, though, blueberries are where it’s at. They’re just so versatile – from muffins to pancakes, cupcakes to coffee cake, what don’t they make better?
So this week I’m going to celebrate my love of blueberries by bringing you five great recipes to take advantage of the wonderful summer bounty while we can! And don’t worry, it’s not all sweet – I’ve got a quick and easy savory idea coming your way too. I’ve been sitting on some of these recipes for a month or more and am so excited I finally get to share π
First up for Blueberry Week, this glazed blueberry-lime cream cheese pound cake. Not exactly the shortest title, but I needed to be sure to convey every awesome thing about this recipe. The blueberries are suspended in a velvety pound cake which has just a little bit of tang thanks to the addition of cream cheese as well as lime zest (in the cake itself) and lime juice (in the glaze). Super flavorful and dense, but definitely not dry, it’s another pound cake I was surprised to enjoy as much as I did. And I wasn’t the only one who dug the cake; it went to work with Shane and was gone in a flash from what I hear! I love that his coworkers always thank me for sending in treats – little do they know they’re the ones doing me a favor by making sure things like this aren’t sitting around for days to tempt me…
What have you guys been making with blueberries this summer? Any new favorites? Feel free to leave links in the comments!
Blueberry-Lime Cream Cheese Pound Cake
pound cake adapted from Fine Cooking, glaze adapted from Glazed Grapefruit Cake
Cake
1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lime juice
Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until very pale in color and well combined, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the sugar and lime zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the lime-sugar mixture to the mixer bowl and continue beating until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs, on at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, and beat just until combined. Fold in the blueberries using a rubber spatula.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then turn it out of the pan and set on the rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, stir the confectioners’ sugar and lime juice together until the glaze is smooth – it should be thick but with a pourable consistency. Drizzle over the cake allowing the glaze to drip down the sides. Let the glaze set before serving.
Oh I am with you, berry season it the very best. I love them. Every last one. So good!
This looks like one incredible loaf of bread. I love the blueberries with the lime and cream cheese. Sounds perfect!
This is one perfect pound cake!
It looks wonderful! Had to pin it.
Blueberries are DEFINITELY where it’s at in baking. This cake seriously looks epic!! π
When it comes to berry love, I’m admittedly fickle. I gravitate towards whatever happens to be in season and enjoy it with reckless abandon. Blueberries do rank quite high though (I have a seed issue too!).
This pound cake is beautiful!! I’m mesmerized by the lime glaze drippings.
p.s. Thanks for the blueberry crumb bar Pin! π
Love the blueberry lime combination, especially in a pound cake! Can’t wait to see what other blueberry recipes you have for the week!
This sounds so fresh and delicious, and I love all those blueberries bursting through. That cream cheese sounds like one perfect addition!
Blackberries are on the bottom of my list too! Also, loooove this pound cake. Blueberries and lime go together so well!
Amazing!! This sounds delicious and an amazing blend of flavors.
I love summer berries too. And I love that you added lime. What a great flavor pair for blueberries!
I love summer berries, too, especially when we can go pick ’em ourselves. =) This pound cake looks SO good – love the flavor combination!
I don’t like the texture of berries. I would much much rather have it has a jam or jelly or something along those lines.
This cake looks amazing though. π I love me some pound cake π
Baking with blueberries is definitely one of my favorite things about summer!
Your cake looks perfect – I’ll be saving this recipe & making it soon!
totally with you on the berry love! between this and Friday’s pound cake, I’m needing to make a pound cake asap!!!
That glaze looks great!
Lemon and blueberries are such a great combination and this is so gorgeous!!
I just went blueberry picking this weekend! So glad I found your blog! Looks delicious!
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Yay for blueberry week! This looks amazing, and I can’t wait to see what else you make!
Hi Tracey! I’m soooo behind on the blogs I follow so I apologize for the radio silence. I was just working with blueberries and lime tonight. π I made blueberry LEMON curd and then had a huge bag of limes that was on the downward slope so I juiced a ton of limes for future baking…1 and 2/3 cup worth…which took forever.
Anyway, your cake looks gorgeous. Totally breakfast food in my book. I look forward to the rest of blueberry week!
Blueberry week MIGHT be my favorite week of all time…at least, if this pound cake has anything to do with it! Love that tart/sweet combo!
I’ve never tried blueberries and limes together in a baked goodie! This looks so delicious! I have all the ingredients and I want to make it right but… I’m pretty sure I would eat the entire thing before the sun sets! :/
Oh my goodness, I want! Send me some?
So many blueberry recipes! I go on vacation for a week and my reader has blown up! I love it! As soon as I’m back in the kitchen I’m going to buy pints of blueberries and get started on some of these amazing sounding recipes!