Red, White and Blueberry Cake
2-3/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter, softened
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups milk
3 cups blueberries, divided
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons water, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners, sugar
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
Mint sprigs, for garnish, (optional)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms
with wax paper; grease again and flour.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and the
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer 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 or 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
wax paper and cool completely.
4. For the filling, combine 2 cups of the blueberries, the 2/3 cup granulated
sugar and 2 tablespoons of the water in 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 berries. Set pan in large bowl of ice water,
stirring occasionally, until cold, or transfer to a shallow container and
refrigerate uncovered 1 hour.
5. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread half 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 the topping, beat cream with the confectioners' sugar in large bowl with
electric mixer to stiff peaks. Spread on top of cake. Top with strawberries.
Garnish with mint, if desired.
Makes 12 servings. |