For Purple Mountain Majesties...

I decided this deserved a post all its own...if ever a recipe looked like words to a song, this is it! Remember Bundt pans? Oh, I can't wait to do a post on those! Til then...just a few notes. My Bundt pan is from The Golden Age of Bundt Pans, circa 1960's. It latches on to all batter like velcro and so I often have a hard time getting a picture perfect cake out. And so...for this fruit-ful recipe, know your cake pan and prep accordingly!!

Blackberry Cake with Orange Glaze

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for the pan
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature (local are best)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup yogurt
2 pints blackberries, rinsed and dried or blueberries, rinsed and dried


Orange Glaze
½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 medium orange) and its zest
½ cup confectioners' sugar


Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 2-quart nonstick Bundt pan with butter, then dust with flour or 4x sugar, shaking off excess (or whatever your pan requires). In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, salt and baking soda. With a mixer, cream the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Add in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and mix in half of the flour mixture. Mix in the yogurt, then the remaining flour mixture. Gently fold in the blackberries with a wooden spoon so they are as evenly distributed as possible .

Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter.


Make the orange glaze, in a small saucepan, whisk the orange juice with the sugar and simmer over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Using a skewer or long, thin knife, prick deep holes all over the surface of the cake. Slowly spoon half of the glaze over the cake, letting it seep into the holes. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes longer. Spoon the remaining glaze over the cake and let set for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.  Serves 8...less than typical Bundt pan numbers...it's that good and is also great for breakfast!