Glazed Blueberry Vanilla Donut Cake

Ok. So, this is what it looks like when you forget to sift the powdered sugar, as you are preparing the glaze. Extra lumps. Was I rushed? Hungry? Distracted? Probably all three. Sometimes, you are meant to sift... for a good reason. But, here it is, and it's delicious regardless of its lack of visual perfection. Everyone will still eat it, I promise. Just brunch at my house on a Sunday!

Cake batter:

2 cups all purpose flour (reserve two TBS to toss the blueberries in before folding)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2/3 cup avocado oil (sub neutral veg oil)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature (sub whole milk)

1 tbs vanilla extract

2/3 cup fresh blueberries (toss with cinnamon and two tbs reserved flour before adding to the batter, this helps to prevent berries from sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking)

Vanilla Glaze:

About 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (this is *actually important to sift to remove clumps)

1/4 heavy cream, slightly warmed

1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

Giant donut/ coffee cake/ afternoon snack Bundt cake hybrid…whatever you want to call it, just make it. And eat it. This cake is so simple and quick to mix up. A low and slow bake keeps it moist and tender. The glaze is a snack in itself.

Preheat oven to 325 F and grease a 10 inch tube pan or Bundt pan really well.

To make in one bowl:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, sugar, and oil on medium speed until well combined, about two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a large glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and vanilla.

Toss the blueberries with the 2 tbs reserved flour and cinnamon and set aside.

Place a sieve across the top of the mixing bowl with the egg mixture in it. Sift in the remaining flour, baking powder and salt. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and beater.  Start mixing again at low speed and slowly stream in the buttermilk/ vanilla mixture. Mix for one more minute and then scrape down the bowl and remove from the stand. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula to ensure the batter is smooth and fully incorporated. Then fold in the blueberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan, smooth the top and separate any clumps of blueberries, if you see any, so they are evenly spaced. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake for 40-50 minutes, checking at the 35 min mark. The cake is done when a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about an hour. Then invert the cake onto a serving plate. When the cake is room temperature, cover in the glaze.

To make the glaze:

Warm the cream in a small saucepan until it barely bubbles. Sift the powdered sugar into a mixing bowl with a spout, if possible. Pour the cream into the bowl with the powdered sugar and gently mix them together. Add in the vanilla. Stir until it’s smooth and creamy and pourable (or still lumpy, but you're impatient). When the cake has cooled enough, pour the glaze on. I like to do one coat of glaze, allow it to set for 10 minutes or so, then do another coat. Give it some more time to dry before cutting, but if there is a pool of glaze on the plate, use a spoon to pour over individual slices, as desired. No one will mind soaking it up from the plate!

So many lumps!

Wrap the leftover cake in plastic and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.