Both of my parents grew up going to the Jersey shore every year, but my father’s family spent the majority of their summers in a cottage by Quaker Lake. The small, man-made lake is a 20 minute drive from Binghamton, just over the Pennsylvania border, and it served as the perfect getaway for my grandparents and extended family on my grandmother’s side.

Along with clear water and scenic views, Quaker Lake also had a plentiful blueberry patch nearby. I can only assume a pail of blueberries made it from the patch to the cottage uneaten one day and someone decided to put them to use in the form of a cake. It could have been my grandmother or one of her sister-in-laws, but I’m not sure. I’m also not sure if the recipe was an original creation or was found in a cookbook, but I present the ingredients here as they appeared on the index card in my grandmother’s recipe box (by way of another index card in my mother’s stack of recipes).

What I do know for sure is that this is a great summer cake. You can serve it as a dessert (with my grandmother’s hard sauce on the side…if you dare), or enjoy its muffin-like qualities and have it for breakfast. It’s quick and easy to make as well, but I imagine it had to be with my father and his nine cousins running around outside.

Quaker Lake Blueberry Cake
-1 cup sugar
-Butter the size of an egg (Note: This is an old measurement but is approximately 1/4 cup of butter. I just placed the egg next to the stick of butter and cut a few centimeters longer than the egg.)
-1 egg
-1/2 cup milk
-1 1/2 cups flour
-1 tsp. baking powder
-2 cups blueberries

1) Preheat oven to 350°.

2) Cream together butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Add the egg and then slowly add the milk, mixing until fully incorporated.

3) Add the flour and baking powder in three parts, mixing fully between each. Once the batter is formed, use a large wooden spoon to gently fold in the blueberries.

4) Pour into a greased 9×9 pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Hard Sauce
(Note: This is completely optional. Hard sauce is meant to be served on the side and is essentially a sugary butter spread with a hint of liquor.)
-1 cup butter
-1 cup confectioners sugar
-Splash of sherry wine

1) Cream together butter and sugar. Add a splash of sherry wine and mix.

2) Chill covered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and then serve.