The Berry Best Tea Cakes

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"Mr. Washburn, do you like chicken with dumplings so light they float off the plate? Baked turkey with pecan dressing? Rice that doesn’t taste like paste?" She looked at him through her lashes and drawled huskily, "Sweet potato pie?"

--Smuggler's Bride 


Springtime is blueberry season in North Central Florida and I love to stock up. According to the Florida Blueberry Growers Association, blueberries weren't a huge crop here until some new varieties were developed and commercial growing began to take off in the 1980s. When I go to the weekly farmers market I bring home a quart or two in season, and what doesn’t get snacked on becomes blueberry pies, muffins, and cakes.

Today I was on a Zoom call with #RegencyFictionWriters and I mentioned I was in the middle of baking Blueberry Tea Cakes, so naturally, people wanted me to post a recipe. I confess that I don't especially enjoy baking, but I love eating, especially when it's with fresh, local ingredients. This is an easy recipe--trust me, you won't find me making a difficult one.

This is a modification of a recipe from King Arthur Flour for blueberry muffins, but I found them so deliciously rich that I make them as small loaves and serve them as tea cakes.

Blueberry Tea Cakes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup full fat yogurt (or sour cream, but I use yogurt.)

  • 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. I use a non-stick six count mini-loaf pan, but you can also use a 12 muffin tin. If it’s not non-stick, line it with papers and grease them.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I use a mixer.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add the vanilla and yogurt (or sour cream), and mix well..
6. Add the dry ingredients and mix by hand or on low speed just until the batter is smooth. The batter will be very thick.
7. Fold in the berries by hand.
8. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups or pan sections. It won’t settle, but don’t worry, you can lightly smooth it or just leave it alone.
9. Bake 24 minutes--if muffins, check after about 20 minutes--until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Leave in the baking pan for no more than five minutes to loosen, then remove to a rack to finish.


Freezes well but tastes yummy fresh and warm from the oven!

Enjoy!

 

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