Kentucky Butter Cake with Blueberries

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a Bundt pan with cooking spray and sprinkle very lightly with flour, tapping out excess.NOTE:  If you have had trouble getting cakes out of your bundt pan in the past, try this: liberally spray the interior with cooking spray and coat it with a very thin layer of fine bread crumbs, tapping out the excess.

Step 2

Measure flour, then remove 2 tablespoons to a small bowl. Combine remaining flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Toss with a fork or whisk to mix well.

Step 3

Remove zest from lemon and set aside. Squeeze lemon juice and set aside.

Step 4

Add 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest and the blueberries to the bowl with the 2 tablespoons of flour and toss well to coat.NOTE: Tossing the blueberries with flour before stirring into the batter prevents them from all sinking to the bottom of the pan, creating a more attractive slice for serving.

Step 5

In an electric mixer, beat softened butter for 2 minutes until light yellow and creamy. With machine running on low, add buttermilk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and vanilla until incorporated, then add eggs one at a time. Fold together the wet and dry ingredients on low speed until completely mixed. Finally, by hand, fold in the blueberries with zest and flour.

Step 6

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 60 to 70 minutes until the center tests done and dry when a skewer is inserted into the center.

Step 7

When cake is nearly finished baking, make the glaze: Heat sugar, butter, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and a small pinch of salt together in a small heavy saucepan over low heat until butter is melted and sugar has completely dissolved – stir but do not boil. Stir in the remaining water as necessary to make a pourable glaze and keep warm.

Step 8

Remove cake from the oven to a wire cooling rack. While the cake is still in the pan, poke holes in the cake with a skewer and slowly pour on about half of the glaze, allowing the glaze to absorb and the cake to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and tube of the pan to loosen the cake and carefully invert it onto the cooling rack. Remove the pan and poke holes into the surface of the cake with the skewer. Gently pour the remaining glaze over the cake – if the glaze has hardened while the cake cools, re-warm it a minute over low heat until it is pourable. Allow cake to cool completely before slicing to serve.