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Fourth of July: Red, White and Blueberry Cake

Source of Recipe


LHJ, Recipes 2000






List of Ingredients



• -- Cake --
  
• 2-3/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 10 Tbsp butter or margarine, softened
  
• 1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes
  
• 1 tsp grated orange peel
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1-1/4 cups milk
  
• .
  
• -- Blueberry Filling --
  
• 3 cups fresh blueberries, divided
  
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  
• 5 Tbsp water, divided
  
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  
• .
  
• -- Topping --
  
• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
  
• 2 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
  
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
  






Instructions



1. Make cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees (F). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease again and flour.
   
   
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Beat in orange peel and vanilla. At low speed, add milk to batter alternately with dry ingredients, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans.
   
   
3. Bake 25 minutes, until cakes pull away from sides of pans and spring back when lightly touched. Cool on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; peel off waxed paper and cool completely.
   
   
4. Make blueberry filling: Combine 2 cups of the blueberries, the granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of the water in a large saucepan. Bring to full boil, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, stir remaining 3 tablespoons water into cornstarch in a cup. Add to blueberry mixture, stirring constantly, and return to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and remaining 1 cup blueberries. Set pan in a large bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally, until cold -- or transfer to a shallow container and refrigerate, uncovered, 1 hour.
   
   
5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread half of the blueberry mixture on top. Arrange second cake layer on top; spread with remaining blueberry mixture and top with third cake layer. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 3 hours at room temperature to set (or refrigerate up to 24 hours).
   
   
6. For topping: Beat cream with confectioners' sugar in a mixer bowl to stiff peaks. Spread on top of cake. Top with strawberries and garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.
   
   Makes 12 servings.