Does anyone else get inspired when looking at those cake decorating videos on Instagram?! Those bloggers make the process look so easy, but in fact, it is quite the opposite.
I feel like they all have the magic touch or a secret that I'm still trying to uncover, but when I attempt a cake, it comes out a disaster! I've thrown my hands up at this point and realized "rustic," and naked looking cakes are my thing, and I will leave the beautifully frosted and decorated cakes to the professionals.
Another easy technique I recently discovered is the layered loaf cake! Thanks to Tara O'Brady, a fabulous blogger, whom if you aren't already following, go do it right away! She instagrammed a beautiful chocolate cake baked in a loaf pan, that was perfectly cut and layered with frosting. I thought OMG, this is the new way to cake!
So for my first loaf cake, I made The Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake, topped it with homemade blueberry mint jam, and finished it off with a sweet thick layer of cream cheese frosting. This cake is perfect for spring, and will really lift your spirits ( I know we all need that right now)!
Ingredients
Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup whole- milk yogurt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Mint Lemon Blueberry Preserves ( yields 3 cups)
4 cups fresh or frozen ( thawed) blueberries
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Recipe
Mint Lemon Blueberry Preserves
Begin with the Jam, as it will need time to cool. If using frozen berries, thaw the berries over a colander , you want as little water as possible.
Combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and mint in a medium sized saucepan.
Heat saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until jam is thick, 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, using your wooden spoon, or a potato masher, smash the blueberries. I like my jam on the chunkier side, so I only smash a few.
Allow the jam to cool in the bowl before assembly.
It can be stored in the fridge for a few weeks or in the freezer for up to a year!
Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line a 8 ½ inch loaf pan with parchment paper
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla together. Once combined, slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet, making sure it's all incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Once done, allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, cut the cake in half horizontally, resulting in two even layers.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese until incorporated.
Add in the vanilla extract, and mix.
Add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar at a time, mixing in between additions until the frosting is nice and fluffy.
Assemble
** At this point you can be creative in your assembly, but this is how I did it.
Place the bottom pound cake layer on a tray. Add the frosting onto the cake and spread an even layer. Drizzle the blueberry preserves on top.
Add the next layer of cake, and repeat the same step. Allow some of the blueberry to drizzle onto the sides.
Slice and Serve.
Cake Recipe : Barefoot Contessa