Blueberry Cake

Every Wednesday, my local newspaper runs a food section. And for the last year or two, they've been featuring a recipe submitted by a reader from this area; the winners get their picture in the paper and a $75 gift certificate to a local supermarket. No, I've never entered, and, no, I don't intend to. But sometimes I get some inspiration from the articles.

This recipe was featured in August or so. While it called for fresh blueberries, I took frozen berries, thawed them partially in cool water, then drained them while I made the cake batter. I also changed several ingredients in the cake to suit me. Everyone loved it, although Dan commented, "Mom, you made a mistake. When you make something with blueberries, you are supposed to double the amount of blueberries the recipe calls for. Then there will be enough." I'm afraid the boy may subscribe to my school of cooking, poor dear.

BLUEBERRY CAKE

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
3-1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk (not skim milk)
1 pint (2 cups) blueberries
1 to 2 tbsp flour

Beat together the shortening and butter. Add the salt and eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugars until smooth, then add the flour, powder, milk and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Rinse and drain the blueberries, and stir together with the 1 to 2 tbsp of flour to coat the berries (this will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Turn the batter into a greased tube pan, and bake at 350F for 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then invert onto a serving plate and let it cool completely. Sprinkle the top with confectioner's sugar.

This was sort of a cross between a giant blueberry muffin and pound cake, and really good. Take a hint from me, however. If you don't want to worry about it spilling out of your bundt pan, use the bigger, 10" tube pan.