Blueberry Corn Cake

I made this today for a church function and had a lot of requests for the recipe.  It is an unusual dessert because it is a little hearty and not as sweet as desserts usually are.  Not having blueberries on hand I decided to make it with blackberries instead of blueberries, but it is equally tasty with raspberries. You can also try dried blueberries or cranberries.  Served with a dollop of lemon curd or lemon yogurt, or a scoop of lemon gelato, this dessert becomes worthy of a fancy dinner party.  Or simply use a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornmeal, and baking powder. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the cream, melted butter, and egg. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients just until blended, then stir in the blueberries. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.

Bake until the cake is firm and golden, 20 to 23 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

6 servings

Notes:  I am not one to ever follow a recipe exactly, so here are a few of the changes I make with it, besides altering the fruit as I mentioned above.  First, usually I add a bit of salt and vanilla to round out the flavor.  Also, this recipe can be a little dry if overcooked, so I sometimes add a bit of applesauce or use a little more butter.  I also use milk (usually powdered) instead of cream, since I rarely have cream (or even milk) at home.  A little lemon essential oil is also very compatible with the other flavors.  When I want to make it extra-hearty I add grated Parmesan cheese (the good kind of course, never that nasty powdered stuff) and chunks of mozzarella (I know it sounds strange, but it works really well.  One of these days I may make it with the cheese and without the fruit.).  Generally I double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 cake pan since it goes so fast.