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The Leftovers- Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

As you probably know if you are here we have built our business on being unapologetic about who we are.

We haven’t just wanted to be a B&B, but IOWA QUEEREST B&B. Look no further than the rainbow flag flying off the front of our house. We are not hiding who we are. We know that living authentically is an act of resistance and it holds space for other people to do just the same.

It isn’t always easy to operate this way. So when someone gets it, it makes us feel unbelievably seen. It makes everything worth it. In an alternative universe, when COVID isn’t running rampant, we get this feedback from our guests on a weekly or nightly basis. We have confirmation from them about how much it means to them that we have created this space.

We didn’t realize how much we had missed that feedback, until last Saturday. We had the honor of hosting a crew from Cedar Rapids Tourism for a socially distanced brunch photo shoot to be featured in an upcoming inclusivity campaign. It was wonderful to have some sense of our normal routine returning- enjoying a meal in the garden, chatting over coffee. But it was even more reassuring to know that our mission is seen by people, even when we aren’t business as usual.

We made more food than could fit on the table and relished in every single second. Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake was the star of the show. It is dense, sweet but not too sweet and perfect to pair with coffee and conversation.

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Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Recipe adapted from Grandbaby Cakes

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For the Cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon orange peel

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature- very soft

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 6 large eggs

  • 1 cup sour cream room temperature

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries 

  • Zest and juice of 2 lemons about 5-6 tablespoons of lemon juice total

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice



Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour a 12 inch bundt pan. GREASE REALLY WELL. Set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

  • In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low to medium speed for 1 minute after each addition and scraping side of bowl frequently. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.

  • Fold in berries, zest and juice until combined.

  • Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 1 hour and 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack. You may need to thump the bottom of cake pan with a knife in order to get it to release.

For the Glaze:

  • Stir together confectioner's sugar and lemon juice until combined and drizzle over top of the cooled cake then serve. Add blueberries to center and a slice of lemon.

Martha Payseur