Baking with My Niece

My niece (and Goddaughter) came over to help me make a cake. Her mother and grandmother often make comparisons between us. We're a lot alike. We tend to like the same things, we never run out of stuff to talk about when we're together, and we have the same taste in clothes. Sometimes it surprises me how much we have in common.

Because she's only four years old! Believe me; it's easy to forget this when I am around her.


In the middle of baking, we had to run to the grocery store (didn't have any baking powder), and then we had to run over to a neighbor's house (didn't have enough vanilla).

Some model-cook I am, huh? Apparently, I was absent that day in Home Ec when the teacher taught about having all of your ingredients out before you start a recipe. By the looks of my kitchen, I certainly have them all out at the end!


Blueberry Pound Cake
(from Cooking Light, July 1998)

2 cups of granulated sugar
1/2 cup light butter
1/2 block 1/3 less-fat cream cheese - softened
3 large eggs
1 large egg white
3 cups all -purpose flour, divided
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) carton low-fat lemon yogurt (I used 6 ounces)
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 tablespoons of flour and blueberries in a small bowl, and toss well. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternatively with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture and vanilla; pour cake batter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl; drizzle over warm cake.


I need to learn how to make a better glaze. It sounds so simple, but I never get the right amount of powdered sugar and lemon juice. I am also sorry that I can't post the picture I took of my niece in the kitchen. I deleted it by accident. It's too bad too because she has the sassiest of new haircuts. I will post one soon.