Orange Blueberry Bundt Cake – Recipe!

Citrus season is in full swing and it’s filled with oranges, tangerines, lemons, kumquats and limes.  While lemon and lime seem to get a lot of attention in baked desserts, I thought it’s due time to highlight oranges this time of the year.  Oranges with their bright colored hue and perky essence, make great cake.  The zest or outer bright orange peel is where all the citrus oil is held, it’s what gives orange desserts their flavor.

Oranges pair nicely with berries in cake, especially blueberries.  The natural sweetness in both fruits highlight each other, not to mention, give it a great look.  The deeply colored blueberries accentuate the mildly golden hue of the crumb and slightly burst after baking, they’re a pleasant surprise in almost every bite.

If baking cakes is not your forte, Bundt Cakes are the way to go because they are almost a one-bowl-wonder, just mix, pour and bake.  For most of us, they’re fairly easy to prepare and you can transport them almost anywhere because of their sturdy nature.  A drizzle of icing adds a bit more citrus taste in a slightly dramatic fashion, while providing a seal that protects the cake against drying out.  It’s even fun to lick the whisk and bowl afterwards.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1/4 cup whole plain yogurt

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

zest and juice of 1 orange

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Icing

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

(Serves 8-10)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 10 cup Bundt pan, set aside.
2. In a stand mixer or large bowl, add butter and yogurt and mix on high for 3 minutes, scrape down sides.  Add sugar and continue to mix on high for 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time until combined, then add zest and mix for 1 minute.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  With mixer on low, add flour mixture to batter, alternating with buttermilk in three turns.
4. Dollop a third of batter into prepared pan and top with a third of blueberries.  Repeat twice more.  Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer comes clean.  Remove and let cool for 40 minutes before removing from pan.
5. In a small bowl whisk powdered sugar and juice.  Using whisk, drizzle over cake.  Let stand at room temperature until icing is firm for about an hour before serving.  Enjoy!