Presidents Day Recipes-Mixed Berry Pound Cake

 

Usually around Independence Day, Memorial Day, and even Election Day, thoughts turn to red, white, and blue desserts. Whether mixed berry pie or an extremely exuberant flag cake, nothing says all-American celebration like flag-inspired desserts. This red, white, and blueberry cake is my favorite: an all-butter pound cake fragrant with vanilla and folded with lots of juicy berries.

 

 

Mixed Berry Cake: Recipe Notes

This is a fairly standard pound cake, which means you will use the standard creaming method to mix it. In a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Whip in the vanilla and eggs. Then fold in the dry ingredients and berries just until mixed. Then bake and enjoy!

A note about the berries. You can use either fresh or fresh-frozen berries (called IQF, or individually quick frozen) in this pound cake recipe.  I sometimes prefer frozen berries, actually. They are often more economical, and are available year ’round. Avoid strawberries, which have too much water.

The only slight difference between fresh and frozen berries is in the mixing and baking. Frozen berries have a tendency to give off a little juice, so fold them into the batter quickly, or toss them in some of the all-purpose flour before mixing.

Additionally, cake using frozen berries will take several extra minutes to bake. This is because the berries will cool the temperature of the cake batter. The cake batter may become a bit stiff once you add the berries. That is fine.

 

 

Decorating the Berry Pound Cake

I love, love, love freeze-dried berries as an all-natural yet really exuberant cake decoration. Slightly crumbled over some buttercream frosting, they are like nature’s sprinkles.

But that is just one suggestion. I also like a simple dusting of powdered sugar here, or a thin glaze. Buttercream topped with a scattering of fresh berries would look lovely as well.

 

 

TIME & SERVINGS

PREP TIME:15 MIN
COOK TIME:1 HOURS 15 MIN
YIELDS: 1 SERVINGS

INGREDIENT

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup blueberries, fresh or individually quick frozen (IQF)
1 1/2 cups raspberries, fresh or individually quick frozen (IQF)

 

INSTRUCTIONS(STEPS)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease well a standard tube pan.
  2. With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until very smooth and light. Scrape the bowl to make sure everything is emulsified.
  3. Stir in the baking powder, salt, and flour and mix on low until combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in the berries and stir until just mixed throughout.
  4. PRO TIP: If using frozen berries, do not thaw them. Add them to the cake batter right from the freezer. This will make the cake batter somewhat stiff, but that is fine. Do not over-mix or your batter will become purple!
  5. Bake in the center of the oven until a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes, or slightly more. If using frozen berries, it will be closer to 1 hour 20 to 25 minutes.
  6. Cool in the pan until the cake can be handled. Run an offset spatula or knife around the edges of the cake pan. Invert onto a dish, then right side up again onto a cooling rack. Cool fully.
  7. Decorate with a simple powdered sugar glaze, a dusting of powdered sugar, or some buttercream topped with freeze-dried or fresh berries.
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