Blueberry Pound Cake

It's that time of year again: my mom's birthday and the baking of my blueberry pound cake. The very first time I baked this July on 1998 - the month the recipe was featured in Cooking Light magazine. I was still in high school! The cake is delicious as a breakfast treat or after-meal dessert. I've been making it every year since '98 and never tire of it. 


I made the cake again last night since my mom's birthday is today and the two seem to go hand-in-hand at this point. She didn't want any special desserts made for her birthday because she said I'm "always baking" and should take a rest, but I don't think she's realized yet that baking de-stresses me and winds me down from a weeklong bout of stress. I'm sure once I walk into her house later on with it, she'll give that knowing smile that will have an ounce of appreciation that I didn't forget one of her favorite cakes. 


Here's the cake after it's settled (there are some cake rack marks on it - it's worth a mention that I do not put the suggested lemon-sugar glaze on the cake. I feel like that makes it a tad bit too sweet): 

• Blueberry Pound Cake 
• from Cooking Light
• 
  
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light butter 
• 1/2 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 large egg white 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 (8-ounce) carton lemon low-fat yogurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Cooking spray 
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice 

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and blueberries in a small bowl, and toss well. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture and vanilla; pour cake batter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
3. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl; drizzle over warm cake. Cut with a serrated knife. 

Enjoy!