Pearl River Blues Berry Farm Blueberry Pudding Cake

Frost with whipped cream or meringue and this cake will turn into a party! In New Orleans, we’d turn a meringue-iced blueberry pudding cake into a Baked Alaska–style dessert by setting it on fire with an alcoholic concoction containing brandy and other dark liquors.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1⁄3 cup sugar, plus
• 1⁄2 cup sugar, divided
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon cornstarch
• 2  cups blueberries
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3⁄4-1  teaspoon salt (if using salted butter, use less salt)
• 1  large egg
• 1⁄2 cup  whole milk
• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1  teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 cup sugar with water, lemon juice, and cornstarch; mix well. Add blueberries and bring mixture to a simmer; cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you are using frozen blueberries, cook for about 7 minutes or until slightly thickened.) Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to blend.
4. In another bowl, whisk together egg, milk, butter, and vanilla. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, whisking until just combined. Spread batter in prepared pan. Pour blueberry mixture evenly over the batter (berries will sink during baking).
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake portion comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
6. Note: To flambé the cake, combine 1/4 cup brandy with 1/4 cup (or less) rum, Grand Marnier, or other orange-flavored liquor. Pour combined liquors into a saucepan and heat until tendrils of smoke begin to rise from the liquor. Carefully light liquor with a match. While flaming, pour over cake and serve. (Never pour liquor from bottle directly into pan because of danger of catching the bottle of liquor aflame.).