Tasty little loaves.

I decided to make these little cakes just because I felt like it. I saw the recipe in the new Martha Stewart magazine and thought it looked too good not to try, and when it was as good as I thought it would be, I wanted to share it with you.  Another reason I thought it would be fun was because I received mini-loaf pans as a gift and was finally going to use them!  They are the fancy Williams-Sanoma Goldtouch Nonstick pans, so you can see why I was so excited. That probably sounded sarcastic, but depending on how well you know me, you might not realize that I really was that excited to use them.

Let me tell you something, I love Martha Stewart. I have come to the conclusion that the woman can do anything. She can even make prison look good. Martha has two television shows, something like four magazines, a podcast, and the list goes on. I had always wanted a subscription to her original magazine, Martha Stewart Living, but I just never got around to signing up for it. Then one day, much to my surprise, I found out that my niece joined girl scouts and guess what they were selling? Magazine subscriptions. Who knew they sold more than just those little boxes of disgusting/amazing cookies?!?! Needless to say, I finally got my subscription. Thanks, Emma. Oh, and thanks as well to Girl Scouts of America or whatever you are called.  

In this particular magazine Martha always saves the best recipes for the very last page. It's the first thing I flip too.  It's usually some sort of dessert and not always easy to make. This one looked simple enough and seriously good.  They are called Blueberry-Lemon Tea Cakes.  I figured since blueberries were on sale I might as well try these little cakes out. Yes, just one more way I'm a 'grandma'. I shop the sale ads at Lunds/Byerly's for my fruit.

Blueberry-Lemon Tea Cakes

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for pans

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

salt

2 large eggs

6 ounces blueberries ( 1 1/4 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter baking pans, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
   
2. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup is thickened, about 4 minutes. Let stand while making cakes.
   
   
3. Meanwhile, combine heavy cream, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the vanilla in a bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl.
   
4. Beat butter, lemon zest, and remaining cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in blueberries using a rubber spatula.
   
5. Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
   
   
6. Transfer pans to wire racks, and brush tops of cakes with lemon syrup. Let stand for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes from pans, and brush all over with remaining syrup. Let cool completely on wire racks.
   

Variations

To make a large loaf instead of several little ones, use a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan, and bake for 55 minutes.

Something I like do to when baking with berries in quick breads and muffins, or in this case a tea cake, is to toss the fresh berries with some flour.  Not a whole lot, but enough to cover them.  That way while they are baking the berries don't sink to the bottom. Cool, huh?! Yes, I can sense you rolling your eyes.

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