Sour Cream Poundcake with Blueberries and Orange

The ingredient list:

*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.

Ingredient information:

BUTTER—Call me crazy, but I always use salted butter in baking (and cooking). If you prefer using unsalted butter, by all means, use it. That said, I've never once noticed my baked goods being "too salty" when using salted butter. Even more important than using salted butter (or not) is to use softened butter for effortless creaming with the granulated sugar.

GRANULATED SUGAR—Granulated sugar is an essential ingredient for baking, and there aren't many different varieties. However, I wanted to up the ante for this recipe, so I grated and mixed fresh orange zest with the sugar. Why not, right?

EGGS - Large eggs are the standard size for most recipes unless otherwise noted, and this recipe is no different. You'll need six eggs separated. It's easiest to separate the yolks from the whites when the eggs are cold, straight out of the fridge, and the egg yolks will incorporate easily into the creamed butter and sugar when they're at room temperature. Once you've separated the cold eggs, allow the two bowls to sit on the counter while you preheat the oven, prepare the tube pan, make the orange sugar, and whisk together the dry ingredients.

SOUR CREAM—This ingredient will lend richness, moisture, and tang to the completed cake. I recommend using full-fat sour cream for the very best flavor and texture. After all, if you're taking the time to make a poundcake, why skimp for the sake of a few calories?

BAKING SODA—This is one of the ingredients that helps this dense poundcake rise in the oven, and the other leavening ingredient is the whipped egg whites.

ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR—I prefer using unbleached all-purpose flour but feel free to use bleached flour if that's what you have on hand. When measuring in cups, spoon the flour lightly into the cup (without packing) and level the top with the back of a butter knife. You need three cups (370 grams) of flour. Below, I'll explain weighing vs. measuring.

PURE VANILLA EXTRACT—For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract (vanilla paste also works) instead of imitation vanilla extract.

PURE ALMOND EXTRACT—Again, using a pure almond extract rather than a synthetic, imitation-flavored almond extract will yield a far tastier end result.

ORANGE ZEST AND JUICE—I wanted to add brightness and additional flavor to this dense sour cream poundcake, so I grated and added two tablespoons of orange peel to the granulated sugar before creaming the ingredients together. The taste of the orange is subtle, so if you'd like an even bigger hit of orange, I suggest using three tablespoons of fresh orange zest.

FRESH BLUEBERRIES - When folding fresh blueberries into the heavy cake batter do so gently so the berries don't break. This will take a few moments of folding and rotating the bowl for the most even distribution of berries throughout the cake. *Note - Frozen blueberries are not recommended for this recipe as they turn batters a blueish purple hue. However, if the blueberries are straight out of the freezer and have yet to have the time to thaw completely hard, frozen blueberries are acceptable for this cake.

Kitchen tools and equipment needed:

• stand mixer (optional)
• hand mixer (optional)
• kitchen scale (optional)
• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowls
• microplane (for zesting the orange)
• 10" tube pan
• baking spray
• silicone spatula
• offset spatula (for releasing the cake after baking)
• cake tester (optional)
• kitchen timer (optional)
• cooling rack
• cereal bowl (or other small bowl for helping to release the cake)
• baking sheet (optional)
• parchment paper (optional)
• serrated knife (for slicing and serving)
• cake stand (optional for serving)
• powdered sugar shaker (optional)

Add-in and swap-out suggestions:

For those of you who enjoy a chocolaty dessert, feel free to swap out the blueberries for chocolate chips.

Greek yogurt may be used in place of the sour cream if desired. I recommend using a full-fat, plain Greek yogurt.

Dried cranberries, cherries, or even raisins may be added or substituted for fresh blueberries.

If you're a fan of nuts, how about adding some of your favorite chopped nuts to the batter for extra flavor and texture? If so, lightly toast the nuts in a dry skillet for additional flavor before adding them to the batter.

How to store blueberries for long lasting freshness:

Renee's top tips for recipe success:

Zest the oranges before juicing. If you've ever tried zesting an already-juiced orange (lemon or lime), you know what a struggle it can be. It may seem like a no-brainer, but this is an essential tip for anyone new to baking.

As stated earlier, separating the eggs from the refrigerator when cold is easier. Add the egg yolks to one bowl and the egg whites to another. Since eggs incorporate easier into a batter when they're at room temperature, it's wise to separate the eggs first thing (ideally when softening the butter) and allow them to come to room temperature while prepping some of the other steps for this recipe (preheating the oven, preparing the tube pan, whisking the dry ingredients, and so on).

Why whip egg whites for a poundcake?

Folding whipped egg whites into a poundcake batter will yield a slightly lighter textured cake with additional volume and height.

Adding whipped egg whites also lends a delightful crispy crunch to the outside of the cake, much like adding whipped egg whites to a waffle batter, which makes the waffle lighter but with a crispy crunch on the outside.

Can a Bundt pan be used instead of a tube pan?

It sure can. Both are excellent choices for this cake.

A standard-size Bundt pan and a 10-inch tube pan (shown in this post) both hold 10-12 cups of batter.

If using a Bundt pan instead of a tube pan, be aware that the batter will most likely fill the entire pan, whereas a tube pan is typically taller, resulting in more "pan space" once the batter is added.

Can a standard loaf pan be used for this poundcake?

Yes, but be aware that the bake time will be much longer than when using a tube or Bundt pan and that you will need TWO standard-size loaf pans to hold this amount of batter.

Using a cake tester or toothpick to check the cake for doneness is essential, especially if baking in standard loaf pans.

How important is it to weigh ingredients instead of measuring them?

Some people swear by weighing ingredients instead of measuring them because it is much more accurate, especially when baking.

For example, when measuring flour in cups, some people use the dig and level method, and others use the spoon and level method. Both work, but each will give different weights due to the compaction of the ingredients.

Weighing the ingredients will always provide an accurate weight, time and time again because weight measurement is a constant matter and not a compaction matter.

How to store a sour cream poundcake:

This cake may be stored (covered) on the counter for up to 3 days, or store (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can this blueberry sour cream poundcake be frozen?

It sure can because it freezes beautifully!

Store it (slices or the entire cake) well wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and for the best flavor (in my opinion), serve at room temperature.

Topping and serving suggestions:

Whipped cream, ice cream, or a delicious orange curd (homemade or store-bought) would make an excellent topping for this delightful poundcake.

For neater slicing and serving, a serrated knife works best for this moist, dense poundcake.

Additional recipes featuring fresh blueberries:

Cornbread Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Blueberries is a deliciously sweet and savory breakfast cornbread recipe that comes together in a "Jiffy" using boxed cornbread mix.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Baked Oatmeal is a great way to start any day. It's a hearty breakfast that will stick with you well into the day, and it tastes delicious!!

If you have 10 minutes and only five ingredients, you can serve these Blueberry Basil Bruschetta and be blown away with how easy and delicious they are.

BBQ Blueberry Jalapeno Chicken are beautifully browned chicken breasts that simmer to a tender finish in an easy-to-make zippy blueberry chili sauce.

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