By TESSA HUFF
CONTRIBUTOR, THE CAKE BLOG
Spring is the season for brunching. Good friends, daffodils, pastries, and mimosas- there is no better way to celebrate renewal, bright blooms, and warmer weather. Amongst the danishes, donuts, and other sweet treats, cake does not seem to make many appearances on the brunch menu. But what not bring cake to the breakfast party? Coming from someone who believes a nice layer cake is appropriate for all occasions, lets break the boundaries and eat cake for breakfast!
Whenever I make pancakes, they are never ready all at the same time, especially when serving a crowd. I typically serve my guests the fresh, warm pancakes, while I either snack on the oddly-shaped ones in the kitchen or eat alone once everyone else is served. With this Blueberry Breakfast Cake, everyone can enjoy the nostalgic flavors of blueberry pancakes all at once.
For this recipe, I deconstructed one of my favorite brunch food items and used the flavors to create a new dessert. It uses all of our favorite early morning flavors that leave us feeling warm and fuzzy all day.
A blueberry-studded buttermilk cake serves as the base for this creation, with a sprinkle of cinnamon for a touch of warmth. Fresh or frozen blueberries will work, but keep them frozen to prevent bleeding in your cake batter. I was inspired by the luscious pats of butter and ooey syrup found atop stacks of pancakes for the filling. The browned-butter is slightly nutty and pairs wonderfully with the addition of pure maple syrup. Since the buttermilk cake is on the heavier side and browned-butter filling is fairly rich, the final cake is iced with a light, cinnamon whipped cream frosting.
BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE
a recipe by Tessa Huff
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3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups blueberries, frozen
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 3 X 8” baking pans.
- Sift dry ingredients and set aside. Toss frozen blueberries in a separate bowl with just enough flour to lightly coat and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed with a paddle attachment.
- Add sugar. Mix again until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes)
- With the mixer on medium-low, add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Turn mixer off and scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- With the mixer on low, carefully add about half of your dry ingredients until just combined.
- While the mixer is still running, stream in the buttermilk.
- Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Removed the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the blueberries.
- Divide batter evenly between the three cake pans and place in the oven. Bake until a wooden skewer comes out clean or with little crumbs from the center of the cake, about 20 minutes. Rotate pans halfway through baking.
- Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack before inverting.
for the Maple Browned-Butter Filling
[post_ads]3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons milk
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue to cook until the butter becomes an amber brown, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning the butter. Once browned, remove from heat and cool. After the butter has cooled, stir in the remaining ingredients. Gradually add in the milk and adjust amount according to desired consistency. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container.
for the Cinnamon Whipped Cream
2 cups cold whipping cream
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the cream mixture on high until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-mix. Use immediately.
