Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake
Prep: 30 min
Bake: 35 min
Yield: 1 (9x13-inch) cake
Poke cakes are typically single-layer cakes baked in a deep-sided pan, then poked full of holes (kids love that part). For this cake, pour blueberry sauce in the holes to make colorful blue streaks in each lemony slice of cake.
- 3 cups sifted Swans Down® Cake Flour
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 lemon, finely zested, divided
- Fresh blueberries, for garnish
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup lemon curd
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan.
- Make Cake: Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside. Lightly whisk egg whites, buttermilk and almond extract together; set aside.
- Set aside a small amount of the lemon zest for garnishing the cake. Cream the butter, sugar and remaining lemon zest together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and transfer (in the pan) to a wire rack. While cake is still warm (but not hot), poke holes in the cake surface (about 1/2 inch apart) using the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Make Blueberry Sauce: Mix blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally; bring to a hard simmer. Remove from heat once the mixture bubbles and thickens.
- Pour the Blueberry Sauce over the cake, making sure to fill each hole as much as possible. Spread remaining sauce evenly over the cake surface; let cool completely.
- Make Topping: Whip heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until medium stiff peaks form. (Do not over beat.) Place lemon curd in a separate bowl and fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the lemon curd. Fold lemon curd mixture back into remaining whipped cream until fully incorporated. Spread topping evenly over the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Before serving, garnish the cake with fresh blueberries and sprinkle with a small amount of lemon zest.
