Blueberry Pudding Cake

Comforts tend to be simple things, like basking in a sunbeam or bundling up in a cozy blanket.  Better yet, snuggling up next to your loved one.  Or there is the undeniable appeal of a home-cooked meal.  Probably dripping melted cheese over it's edges or slathered in rich dark chocolate, if you are remotely like me.  I also find great comfort in most foods with the descriptor "pudding" in their title.  Hence my deeply rooted love for bread puddings and my more recent desire to devour an enormous bowl of butterscotch pudding (a desire yet unfulfilled...though not for long!).

Fall seems to demand a dramatic increase in the number of comforts I need each day.  It's something to do with the chilly, rainy weather and the shorter days.  Thankfully, most of the simple comforts I crave are food - hot apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes (homemade, with even more pumpkin and spice), baked pastas, Brussels sprout sautes with bacon and candied pecans, chili, apple pies, and all baked goods containing even a hint of pumpkin.  I'm also quite content with my fleece blanket and my shearling-lined slippers.

This blueberry pudding cake is a newly discovered simple comfort.  It's beyond simple to make and yields a light, luscious golden cake carelessly strewn with juicy blueberries.  It's versatile too.  Serve it warm with ice cream for dessert or with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream for breakfast and snacks.  And you can make it year round, using fresh blueberries when they are in season or pressing frozen blueberries into service during the winter months.

Blueberry Pudding Cake
from Gourmet
Makes one 9-inch square pan

Ingredients:
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 cups blueberries (10 oz.), fresh or frozen
1 cup all purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.  Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a small saucepan, stir together 1/3 cup of the sugar, water, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved.  Stir in the blueberries and bring the mixture to a brisk simmer.  Adjust the heat to keep the mixture at a simmer and stir occasionally for about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar.  In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, butter, and vanilla.  Add the two mixtures together (wet and dry ingredients), stirring until just combined.

Pour the batter into the baking dish.

Pour the blueberry mixture evenly over the batter.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. 

Something magic happens in the oven. The blueberries sink, mixing with the batter to create a beautiful swirl of blueberries and buttery cake. Equally appropriate for breakfast (with Greek yogurt and a handful of nuts) and dessert (with vanilla ice cream only).

This cake is best served warm with ice cream, but is also delicious at room temperature.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for less than a week.