Friday, July 5, 2013

Lemon~Poppy seed & Blueberry Pound Cake & July's Give-Away Apron

I had every intention to post this recipe and July's apron yesterday, but my day got away from me with all the packing ~


~and not even a dent in what has to be done:-((  But, I do know that I'm a task oriented person and I will be ready to move by July 31st.

However, I did concentrate, while baking, on the wonderful 4th of July picnics my mom would host.  The great food, including Chesapeake steamed crabs, fried chicken, corn on the cob & tomatoes from the garden, and lots of desserts.  There would be pies, brownies, and bundt cakes and we all made sure we saved room to have some.  Of course, the softball game with family and friends that was played in the field my grandfather had cleared helped our appetites!

Poppy seeds are an oilseed from the opium poppy; my hubby always jokes when I use them that he will fail his drug test!  The earliest recollection of them in food dates back to 1500 b.c. by the Sumerians.  I love combining lemon and poppy seeds together in cakes and thought the addition of some fresh blueberries would be a bonus addition...and a little remembrance of the baked goods we enjoyed at Mom's.

Lemon~Poppy seed & Blueberry Pound Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup poppy seeds
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon (you will add the juice to the glaze!)
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk*
2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and dried

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T Light Karo syrup
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Spray a 12-cup Bundt cake pan with a non-stick baking spray.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar thoroughly.  Add the lemon zest and extracts and beat again.  Add the poppy seeds and beat to combine.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

Mix the dry ingredients together and add alternatively with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix on medium speed for 1 minute more.  Fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.
Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes.  The cake I baked yesterday took 63 minutes to bake, but I originally set the timer on 55 minutes.


Allow the cake to cool about 10 minutes before inverting it to a serving platter.  Cool the cake about 30 minutes before adding the glaze.

I love the sweetness of the blueberries in contrast to the tartness of the lemon and the added crunch of poppy seeds.  It made for a lovely ending to a day of packing:-D  Next year, being closer to family, I will start again the tradition of the 4th of July picnics that my mom put on each year...with my twist. Enjoy!

Now, I did sew an apron and will not "miss a beat" while all this commotion goes on.  I just love the old-fashioned look of the fabric and by coincidence the red~white & blue makes it even more special.  Just post a comment during the month and you're entered to win this treasure. XOXO
Happy belated 4th ~ I hope y'all (practicing my accent!) had a safe and wonderful holiday:-D




45 comments:

  1. You won't be in NC very long before you'll be chatting away like an old-timer. Folks won't know that you're from away. =D

    I don't know how you'll do it all, but I believe you. You will be ready. What a sweet apron...very vintage looking fabric.

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    1. I was born in Memphis and lived there until age 5 when my dad got stationed at Patuxent Naval Base. It doesn't take much for the accent to come out, but I'll never say "erl" for oil like Paula Deem does:-D

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  2. Such a pretty apron (as always!). I'm looking forward to learning all about your new traditions .Now, stop reading and get packing!
    Jane xxx

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  3. The cake looks delicious and the apron is beautiful - the fabric has a real ' vintage' feel to it.
    I really hated packing when we moved - I could barely move in the house for all the boxes and was reluctant to get on with it because I felt sure the house sale would fall through!

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    1. I love throwing or giving away all those things that have been hidden and not used for at least 5 years. This morning we got rid of enough that would have taken up 2 wardrobe boxes and at least a dozen large ones!

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  4. Beautiful cake!! I don't envy you moving. We did that 10 times in our first 17 years together, twice across Canada. I'm DONE. :)
    Have a smooth move!

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    1. This will be move #15 in almost 45 years! I'm pretty good at these cross-country ones:-D

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  5. Cake looks delicious so I am printing out the recipe!

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  6. Oh my goodness, that does look delicious. I love anything with blueberries. Pretty apron, as always. Deb

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    1. I'm going to miss the wonderful fabric store here that has been my source for all the aprons I've sewn. I have August's fabric, but one of the things I must do when I get to Raleigh is find a new store! XOXO

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  7. Wow this looks so delicious! I have some blueberries in the freezer, do you think it would work with frozen berries?

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    1. Frozen would definitely work just as well. It's deliciously moist and I loved the combination, XOXO

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  8. Your pound cake looks wonderful! Susan, what a monumental task you are tackling. We have lived in our home for 40 years and I can't imagine moving. I hope for you much energy over the coming days! xoxo ♥
    Martha Ellen

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    1. This will be the 5th time we've done a cross-country move--I'm pretty good with them:-D

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  9. Can't wait to try this recipe. We love anything with blueberries.

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  10. That cake is making my mouth water. My mother in law makes cakes like these to give away at Christmas. They are always so good. Looks like a lot of things are packed and ready to travel! I know you're excited! Happy weekend my friend and Sis! (love your new apron, too!)

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    1. This would be a good one to bake in a mini-bundt pan and give as gifts, XOXO

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  11. Lovin' those blueberries! Now how about a pie?

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    1. If I get to the Farmer's Market today...I may do a pie. I still have some pie dough disks to use up in the freezer!

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  12. The addition of blueberries makes this a big winner to me! Yum! I gain weight just reading your blog! Love the apron!
    hugs,
    Linda

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    1. When we finally get together for that long overdue visit, I'll bake it, XOXO

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  13. You inspire me with all you do! Love your recollections as well as your recipes. What a lovely legacy for your grandchildren.

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    1. Lovingly, my grandmothers and mother passed on these recollections and I think I got the "story telling" gene from my Dad's side, XOXO

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  14. I love the addition of lemon and poppy seeds---I needed the recipe two weeks ago when I made "just a plain blueberry sour cream pound cake"!! (It was still really good though!)
    Love the apron too, beautiful fabric so nostalgic.
    It's a good thing that you got the "task oriented & organization" genes---I would find myself totally overwhelmed. It will be so wonderful to have you close-by again and I can't wait to see what's in store for next 4th of July! Hugs

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    1. I guess I'm glad too, although some would call me anal retentive! As I tell Ari, "it's how I roll!!"

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  15. i love your apron, it is just too stinkin' cute! the tiny florals are so vintage, and the red-white-blue colors are perfect for july. thank you for this chance! marcab77@aol.com

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    1. This fabric just jumped out at me and I fell in love with it too. Good luck, XOXO

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  16. I adore the sweet and tangy flavours. Your pound cake looks so pretty with icing. I might just bake one for my husband's birthday with some cherries!
    Have fun with moving, Susan.

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    1. I was thinking cherries would be marvelous too...can't wait to see your post, XOXO

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  17. The cake looks absolutely yummy, and I really love the apron. Would love to be entered into your giveaway!

    Helenxx

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    1. Thank you Helen, you are definitely entered!

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  18. I wish you would move closer to me! We would have so much fun together. You know that this is my kind of cake. I would love to have a slice with my coffee right now. Safe packing! Hugs. Kirsten

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    1. Kirsten, I agree; it would be great to be closer to you. I'm still planning a trip that way once we get settled. XOXO

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  19. This cake looks great... I happen to have some blueberries in my freezer! Can't believe you found time to make a pretty apron in the middle of all the work you have to do! Looks like you're off to a great start with the packing!

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    1. I haven't started the kitchen yet...it kind of scares me how much stuff I have in there:-D

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  20. Hi Susan...All looks great.

    Thanks for all your visits. Love having you stop by. Susan

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    1. Thanks Susan. My girls had a wonderful time picking blueberries at a Framingham farm when we moved to Sudbury; we gathered over 25 quarts and made a lot of jam and pies, then, froze the rest, XOXO

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  21. This pound cake with poppy seed and blueberries look delicious, I sure could use a slice of it right now :)
    Have a great week ahead Susan!

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  22. The cake sounds wonderful! Hope the rest of your packing goes well! I know quite a few people who have been moving to different states this month! Hope you love your new home!

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  23. Susan, the pound cake sounds and looks delicious and perfect timing as our blueberries are at their peak right now. I love poppy seeds too. Thanks for sharing and good luck with your move.

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  24. Dear friend...I will be thinking about you as everything gets packed up. My move is still all too fresh in my mind. I am still remodeling the house,while trying to live in it. Love the new apron for July.

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