Blueberry Pansy Loaf


It's blueberry time in NJ, so for the next few weeks, you will be seeing blueberry recipes......have to get in while the supply is local and plentiful!

This is a straight forward yogurt cake made even healthier with olive oil, and made prettier with pansies.

Yes, pansies are edible (they actually have a pleasant taste), as long as they are grown in your garden, and not treated with any pesticides.

They make a beautiful decoration, the petals only. My pansies are pretty much finished for the summer, it gets too hot for them, and they wilt away.....so why not use them here to decorate a cake?

*(note: the pansies will discolor after 2 days on the cake, if it lasts that long!).

You don't have to use the flowers, obviously, this cake is good on its own, but I couldn't help myself.


Blueberry Pansy Cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of ground almonds, or almond meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup plain Greek nonfat yogurt
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mild flavored olive oil
1 pint of blueberries

Icing:
1 cup of powdered (confectioners) sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup of sliced almonds
pansy petals

Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan and line w/ parchment paper.

Put the sugar and zest in a medium bowl and rub the ingredients together until the sugar is fragrant.

Whisk in the yogurt, eggs, and vanilla.

When the mixture is well blended, gently whisk in the dry ingredients.
Fold in the oil. The batter will be thick and shiny.

I don't usually use the whole pint of blueberries, but put as many as you like in the batter.
Gently mix, trying not to break the berries.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake 50 minutes.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then unmold to cooling rack.


Mix the icing ingredients with a fork (including the nuts).
Pour over the cake.


Peel the paper away, and while the icing is still warm, place pansy petals all over the cake (this way they will adhere to the icing).

Slice and serve.


Delicious and beautiful!

Comments

The JR said…
It's very pretty Stacey.

I still love that 1st of yours that I make.

Our blueberries are putting out gallons right now.
Diane Hoey said…
Beautiful indeed.