A Southern Grace: equal billing

May 21, 2010

equal billing

Yum

Generally when a cake is made, there's an ingredient as the focus--German chocolate cake, carrot cake, pineapple upside-down cake, and on it goes. Sometimes, however, several components end up sharing center stage in such a way that you can't quite put your finger on what, if anything, is meant to stand out.


This is one of those cakes. Something about the quantity of each special ingredient combined with the texture of the cake makes each bite a bombardment of flavors.


Are the blueberries the star? Certainly, if you're only looking at the beauty. Does the coconut cream steal the spotlight? Not really--it just delivers a subtle hint of that tropical tang. What about the vanilla bean and vanilla yogurt--is that the first strong taste that you detect? My palate would argue that it's not and that the vanilla just enhances the complexity of the mouthful.


Deb called this her Yogurt Anything Cake. I'd say that's a pretty apt name, as the three random things I decided to add all danced together quite nicely and many other combinations would undoubtedly do the same.

Diva-less Cake
(based on this recipe)

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup cream of coconut

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, coconut extract, oil, and vanilla bean seeds. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the cream of coconut over the cake and allow it to soak in (a pastry brush works great for this, as does using a toothpick to make tiny holes into which the sticky sweet stuff can flow). Cool.

66 comments:

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Oh, drool drool! That cake looks incredibly moist and scrumptious!

Cheers,

Rosa

Angie's Recipes said...

What a mouthwatering coffee cake! So moist, rich and irresistible.

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I want! It looks so moist and dense.

Happy Friday!
~ingrid

lisa is cooking said...

That cake certainly has a tempting texture! Vanilla, yogurt, and blueberries sounds pretty delicious too.

laura said...

This sounds heavenly to me, grace! It is also beautiful - I love blueberries cooked into cakes and the yogurt, coconut, and vanilla bean make it extra special!

Ms. Meanie said...

I love cakes like this - where so many different flavors help make it what it is. Cute name too!

Marjie said...

Hooray! An excuse to order some coconut extract! I love the blueberries, but I'll bet it would be divine with pineapple, too.

tasteofbeirut said...

That cake looks so moist and the blueberries so juicy!!I like that vanilla yogurt in the batter and the fact that it is not too fatty either!

The Teacher Cooks said...

Whenit is blueberry picking time here I am making this little loaf of flavor.

Pam said...

I love, love, love this cake. I need to pick up some coconut cream but I am scared I'll just eat it straight out of the jar.

Anonymous said...

Ohhhh... I love the sound of this cake! I so wish I had some blueberries right now.

vanillasugarblog said...

oh gracie i do love the list of ingredients in here. what do you think if i take out the blueberries and swap in toasted coconut and pineapples? think it would go? love this.

Barbara said...

Well doesn't that look like it would hit the spot? Right now, actually.
Very moist and gooey looking. Love that. Imagine pouring the coconut cream all over it is somewhat like a Tres Leches cake. Sort of.
Loverly, Grace!

marla {family fresh cooking} said...

Glad to read you fell in love with this blueberry cake, heck I would too! How 'bout that glaze....perfect!

pam said...

This is on my list. Seriously. I just wrote it down. I must make this.

theUngourmet said...

I love blueberry cakes. This looks so moist and delicious and I love the the coconut in here as well!

Deborah said...

THere is not one ingredient in this cake that I don't love!

Lisa | Authentic Suburban Gourmet said...

The icing on top looks amazing along with the entire cake! Yum!

Jessica said...

Blueberries...cream of coconut...vanilla bean...I'm in a food coma!!!

Lovely way to spend an afternoon, this cake with a steaming hot cup of blueberry tea! Or perhaps peach...or?

jessyburke88@gmail.com

Katie@Cozydelicious said...

Yum! This looks incredible. I have a ton of frozen raspberries - I wonder if those would work here? I might have to give it a try.

CC11 said...

It's good to have a 'substitute with anything' recipe - blueberries and coconut - yummy

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is one mouthwatering cake! Such incredible ingredients here with blueberries, yogurt, vanilla bean, and cream of coconut, yum!

Silver Strands said...

Holy cow Grace! I'm salivating.
Have a great weekend :)
oxoxoxx
Denalee
PS - did you get your giveaway prize? If so, how do you like it?

Julie said...

That first picture is quite a winner...yowzer!

Heather said...

You've done it again...this looks delicious! And blueberries and coconut who would have thought. This is a must try! Thanks Grace!

Von said...

I've never made a cake with so many differnt components...
The vanilla yoghurt sounds really interesting! The cake looks so moist and delicious!

♥peachkins♥ said...

I love yogurts...specially cake with yogurt..mmmmm


blowing peachkisses
The Peach Kitchen
peach and things

shaz said...

Oh be still my heart...that photo of the cream on top...mmm. Then when I read it was coconut, my heart just beat a lot faster :) This one I really, really have to try. Yum!

Joanne said...

I'm all for being bombarded. This sounds like one awesome combination of flavors. Deb (and you) are geniuses.

pigpigscorner said...

WOw looks extremely moist! The addition of coconut cream is really interesting.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Uourt, cream of coconut and vanilla..I think they dance very well together:D

Cocina Savant said...

What a nice interplay of ingredients. They're all good by themselves, glad you made them get along together. Bravo.

Lucie said...

I go crazy every time I look at your pictures. They make me run over to the kitchen and get a piece of cake or a cookie every. single. time. The blueberry, the coconut cream...mmm!

Lisa said...

Love everything in this cake -- it looks super moist. Your cakes always look luscious, but the blueberries in this one makes it spectacular.

FOODESSA said...

After banana, nuts and of course chocolate...blueberry muffins are very close to my tummy strings.
Great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Flavourful wishes, Claudia

Carolyn Jung said...

Maybe it's a blockbuster cake? You know, just like with movies -- where you have an all-star cast. ;)

Trissa said...

I sure love a cake which is so adaptable and you can add anything you like and the one thing that shines - is your good taste!

Erica said...

This cake looks delicious!Oh this looks like a perfect weeknight dessert.

foodhoe said...

I am a yogurt lover, but haven't ever tried it in cake... you always find recipes that intersect flavors in such an interesting combinations! That glaze on top looks so good.

Faith said...

That last photo showing the cream of coconut on top is amazing! I love all the different flavors in this cake...it looks very moist and delicious!

Hungry Dog said...

This sounds so interesting--I'm intrigued by the coconut extract. But the photos are what really have me excited. Nice job!

sweetlife said...

the last pics, nearly did me in..I love blueberry, coconut and vanilla..never thought ot combine all three..perfect for the holiday weekend..

sweetlife

Jaime said...

i bet that coconut cream makes it super moist in addition to giving it that extra tang :)

Bruninha said...

Hi, I love your blog!
This looks delicious...
=)

Cara said...

how ironic, I was reading this recipe today too (well,the original original, from Ina!) and thinking about ways to adapt it. The coconut sounds delish!

Albany Jane said...

Grace, I think we've got to be taste sisters, at least when it comes to dessert. Coconut + blueberries for the HUGE WIN!!

RecipeGirl said...

Everything about this cake looks delicious!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Blueberries and I are best friends, so this recipe is a must for my "to make" pile. I love how moist yogurt makes this cake!

Maris (In Good Taste) said...

This looks fantastic. Those blueberries are practically bursting off the screen!

Juliana said...

Oh! The ingredients in this cake sound yummie and sure the pictures prove it...yogurt and coconut cream? If I only could have a slice of it...

Lindsey @ pickyeatings said...

Cakes like this make baking tons of fun. I love trying new flavor combos and seeing what happens. Not to mention this cake looks super moist, which is always a winner.

Livin Local said...

So, now you've forced a tough moral decision ... if I include the cream of coconut, which I LOVE, then I'll get them all to my self, but ... if I don't include the coconut, my kids will think I'm the bomb. Oh, decisions, decisions.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Hehe I think YOU are the star of this cake Grace! :P

Unknown said...

I love the way you capture your food with the camera. It always looks so appetizing and beautiful! I can't wait to try this combo of blueberries, yogurt and vanilla.

cookies and cups said...

holy crap! That cake looks so good! Cream of coconut...uh, yes please!

Gloria Baker said...

Look absolutely yummy!! gloria

sunita said...

I haven't been here for ages. Hope you're doing well, Grace. Love the texture of that cake :-)

Mimi said...

Moist and fruity... a perfect cake.
Mimi

Unknown said...

Id say that is one Yummy Cake! but that's not much of a name, is it. I like your name much better. I have such a hard time coming up with recipe names. I once named a recipe "Chicken Something"

Chef Jeena said...

Grace, this cake is just gorgeous! I love blueberries and the moist texture looks wonderful!

~~louise~~ said...

Oh my goodness, Grace! That cake looks like quite the Diva!

I have a fresh batch of yogurt "a brewing," blueberries in the freezer, and coconut on hand. Guess what I'm baking?

Thank you so much for sharing. Have a GREAT holiday weekend!!!

kimberleyblue said...

I'm drooling. Seriously. Amazing photos. Amazing loaf. Yum.

L*Joy said...

coconut and blueberry together is a stroke of genius!

Angie said...

That looks so moist and delicious! Yummy!

Maria said...

I love blueberry anything and this cake would no doubt be absolutely delicious!

The Food Addicts said...

Blueberry and cake go so well together. All I can say is moist and oh so flavorful!