Lovely Lemony Cake with Wild Blueberry Sauce

The creamed butter/sugar/eggs, the flour mixture, and the buttermilk mixture.

Wild Blueberry Sauce heating up.

Clockwise from left: Glaze, Lemon Simple Syrup, and Strained Wild Blueberry Sauce

 Lovely Lemony Cake with Blueberry Sauce

     Recently my boyfriends lovely grandmother passed. She was a woman who lived a long, and exceptional life, and was loved by many. I know that her life had a great impact on my boyfriends mother especially. They spent a lot of time together and were as close as any mother and daughter could be. We will be traveling down to Connecticut to be with his family for the burial this weekend, and I really wanted to do something nice for  his mom during this time. So naturally I started thinking of things to bake for her...
     I decided on this Lovely Lemon Cake because I thought it sounded elegant, and naturally made me think of my boyfriends grandmother. I hope that she would have liked it, and I hope it brings a smile, and a little joy to his mother during this time.

Lovely Lemony Cake

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Lemon Simple Syrup:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl, with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Fold the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the
flour, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick comes out clean. Meanwhile make Lemon Simple Syrup, and Glaze.

Lemon Simple Syrup:
Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely before applying glaze.

Glaze:
Combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes once completely cool, and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Wild Blueberry Sauce

1 Bag Frozen Wild Maine Blueberries (about 3 cups)
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat on high and bring to a boil. Once boiling lower to simmer, and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

Remove from heat, and strain through a sieve. Allow to cool, then refrigerate. Let come to room temperature, or heat on low before serving.