Blueberry Mascarpone Cake (adapted from a recipe by Mary Ann Esposito)
This is a super moist cake that you can eat for breakfast, snack, or dessert. The original recipe uses blackberries and orange zest, but we’re all about the blueberries with these recipes!
1½ C Cake Flour
1 teasp Baking Powder
½ teasp Salt
2 Tbsp Grated Lemon Zest
5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled, but still liquid
2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
¾ C Sugar
½ teasp Almond Extract
1 C Mascarpone Cheese, at room temperature
2 C Fresh (or frozen) Blueberries
1 Tbsp Flour
2 Tbsp Sugar
Confectioners Sugar for dusting
Butter a 9” round cake pan and line it with parchment. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
In a separate bowl and with a hand mixer, whisk together the butter, ¾ C sugar, eggs, almond extract, and mascarpone cheese. (You can do this by hand, but it’s easier with a hand mixer.)
Mix the dry ingredients into the egg/cheese mixture until mixed.
Dust 1½ C of the berries with 1 Tablespoon of flour and then fold into the batter with a spoon or spatula, trying not to burst the berries.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake at 350°F for about 35 minutes – until golden and firm.
While the cake is baking, place the remaining ½ C of berries and 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar and a tablespoon of water (or fresh lemon juice!) in a small pan and cook over low heat. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn, and when the berries begin to soften, burst them to get the juice out. Continue cooking and stirring, until it has thickened slightly.
When the cake is cooled, dust with confectioners sugar and cut into wedges. Serve with a little of the blueberry sauce.
Blueberry Slump or Blueberry Grunt
The only thing better than this dessert’s name (or names) is the dish itself!
Made on the stovetop in about 35 minutes, so no need to heat up the oven. The Grunt (or Slump) is topped with dumplings which cook in their own steam. This New England classic is easy-peasy, and great eaten hot or as cold leftovers!
For the Dumplings
1 C Flour
1 ½ teasp Baking Powder
½ teasp Salt
2 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Butter, cold
1/3 C Milk
For the Berries
4 C Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
½ C Sugar
1 teasp Ground Cinnamon
¼ teasp Ground Nutmeg
1 ½ teasp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 teasp Lemon Zest
1/3 C Water
Make the dumpling dough:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
Cut the butter into small cubes and work into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender – or your favorite method. It should resemble a coarse meal when it’s ready.
Make a well in the center and add the milk, mixing together until it just forms a rough ball. (Don’t overwork the dough, or your dumplings will be tough instead of tender!)
Make the blueberry sauce:
Place the blueberries, sugar, spices, lemon juice and zest, and water in a large cast iron skillet with a tight-fitting lid. (You can use a saucepan if you don’t have a large enough skillet, or don’t have a lid.)
Stir, and heat on high until the mixture begins to boil.
Divide the dumpling dough into 6 rough portions and place on top of the blueberries.
Turn down the heat to a low simmer.
Cover and continue cooking for about 25 minutes. (Do not lift the lid! You need the steam to cook the dumplings.)
Serve into 6 bowls and top with ice cream or drizzle with thick fresh cream.