Blueberry Bundt Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 - 70 minutes
Cool Time: 60 minutes

Grade: B-

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (September 2003)

As I mentioned in my last post, this was part of an experiment to try to similar recipes (one from Cook's Illustrated and one from Everyday Food) and pick the best one. I made these two cakes within one week of each other and was able to really compare.

This was a perfectly fine cake and easier to make. But the CI version of this recipe was truly much better and special. I even added a lemon glaze to the top to try to make sure the playing field was level, but it didn't make up for the difference in the cakes.

If I wanted a simpler blueberry cake recipe, I would go with this Coffee Cake instead which doesn't have lemon, but it very good.

But for a truly great Blueberry Lemon go with the ATK/Cook's Illustrated version. It is worth the extra 20 minutes of work.

Marbled Blueberry Bundt Cake

Prep Time: 38 minutes
Cook Time: 45 - 70 minutes
Cool Time: 3 hours

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2013)
Recipe Source: America's Test Kitchen TV (Season 14)

Note: The recipe will be available on TV website for free for the next year or so. The episode with the actual video hasn't aired yet, but probably will soon.

I did something I always want to do, but almost never do, and that was try two different recipes for the same thing. I have had in my list a blueberry lemon bundt cake from Everyday Food for years that I've never tried. Recently I found this recipe and I decided to try them both within a week of each other.

This cake was the definite winner. It is definitely more work because you need to make the a jam like filling, and you also need to buy some Sure-Jel. But it is really delicious and the better cake. The lemon flavor is more pronounced and the leftovers kept in the freezer have still been great.

It is also prettier with the marble filling instead of just regular blueberries floating inside.

I made a half recipe which is why I have a large range of cook times. A half bundt cake is usually plenty unless you are serving a huge crowd.

Sour Cream Muffins

Prep Time: 12 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 23-26 minutes

Grade: B+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Whole Grain Baking

This is not my favorite blueberry or muffin recipe, but it does use white whole wheat flour and tastes pretty good. The reason I will make these again is that it uses up 1 c. of sour cream. I have a tendency to throw away sour cream because I don't use it enough. This is a good recipe to use it up. Also, the batter can be made up to 4 days in advance, so if you want to have fresh muffins in the morning, this is a good one to use.

Blueberry-Orange Cornmeal Muffins

Prep Time: 13 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes
  
Recipe Source: Everyday Food  (Video with recipe)

I tried a "healthy" blueberry muffin recipe from Everyday Food a month or two ago and was underwhelmed. But this seemed quite different, so I tried it and really liked them. I used lemon instead of orange because I didn't have an orange. Not surprisingly, that worked fine.

The mixture is quite thick, but I was warned in the video (from link) that this would be the case, so I didn't worry. I did skip adding the flour to the blueberries for that reason though.

These have a nice little glaze on top and a slightly crunchy texture. These are not the "best" blueberry muffin, but good if you want something different and like cornmeal.

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Grade: C

Make Again:No

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (January 2008)

It is pretty rare that I don't like a baking recipe from Everyday Food. But the times I don't are usually from the January issue! The reviews on the website were good, so I was hoping to like it.

But these just didn't have much flavor. I thought they would. I like all the ingredients, but there was something about them that was just bland. And they seemed a little dense and heavy. Maybe I messed up something, but I don't know what that would be.

They are edible and fine, but nothing special, so I won't make again. 

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 22-25 minutes
Cool Time: 20 minutes plus more out of pan

Grade: A-

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (June 2007)

I just made blueberry muffins recently, but I'm still trying to use up frozen blueberries that I have from last summer.  I never even bought any this year.

If I were grading on taste alone, these would get an A+.  They are delicious.  However, there was way too much streusel and  I ended up using only about 2/3 of because I knew it was going to fall off the muffins and be wasted anyway.  I love streusel, but hate the mess when it falls off.  And also it just adds calories that aren't necessarily appreciated.  I think enough to cover in one layer is enough to give the textures and flavor, but more isn't worth it.

Here is only part of the mess.  There is more on the counter and floor. It just seems like a waste to me when it all falls off.

I have another recipe for a coffee cake with blueberries that I will stick to because it ends up being less messy, and probably easier to make, even though this one was very, very good.

Best Blueberry Muffin

Prep Time: 32 minutes
Bake Time: 16-18 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2009)
Recipe: America's Test Kitchen TV Show  (Season 10)

I have to say once more that I really like the ATK TV show website. (It's free but you must register first.)  It is really nice to go watch the video before I start the recipe.  The videos are usually around 8-10 minutes, and well worth the time since it will answer many questions you might have while following the recipe.  Not that CI's recipes aren't complete - they are. But they can be long with small print, and I sometimes miss things!

Anyway, the video helped me know how the sugar and eggs should look, how the jam should look, and how to really get the jam into the muffin.

Yes, these take a little longer than many muffin recipes, because you have to make a little blueberry jam, and then swirl it in.  However, I feel that these are worth the effort.  I love the lemon sugar topping.

I do think they could handle a few more blueberries in the regular batter.  Not a lot more, but maybe 1/4 c. more total.

I froze these and took some out for a road trip last week.  The crunchy sugary topping (made from sugar and lemon zest) wasn't all sparkly like it was when they were fresh, but it was still crunchy and very good.  

Blueberry Coffeecake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 45-50 minutes
Cool Time: 1+ hour

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Everyday Foods, Cook's Illustrated and Me

This recipe is an alteration of a recipe I found in Everyday Foods magazine. I love the original recipe, but the amount of streusal on it is obscene, and not really necessary. In the past, I have always cut that part of the recipe in half. This time, I decided to take a hint from Cook's Illustrated Best Light Recipe, and use melted butter for the streusal instead of cutting in cold butter. This allows you to use a lot less butter. It is a good technique and the streusal turned out very good, and for me it was just the right amount.

I usually get 12 servings for this recipe, instead of 9. With the smaller serving size and the different streusal topping, the calories per piece for this cake end up being about 230 intead of the 405 noted in Everyday Foods. Pretty good!

Blueberry Coffecake

Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 teaspoon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Steusal:
2 1/2 T. butter, melted
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
pinch salt
pinch cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Topping: Stir together flour, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in melted butter. Small little lumps will form as you stir.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and allspice.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg; beat well.
5. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately until just combined. (Batter will be very stiff.)
6. In a large bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon flour. Fold blueberries into the batter; spoon into prepared pan and level out batter.
7. Sprinkle cake with streusel topping.
8. Bake until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool completely.