Blueberry Pancake Pound Cake...Oh yes I did.

I've been trying my hardest to use up everything slightly "spoil-able" in my fridge before the Bahamian vacay (which is TOMORROW!!!!)

When dealing with situations such as these, fate has a funny way of stepping in and helping me out. E.g. I stumbled upon a new baking blog when doing some baking "research" and this recipe for a maple yogurt pound cake caught my eye. I know maple syrup isn't great for me, and that the name POUND cake should be off-putting (especially as I finish tucking my bikinis into my suitcase). But it just doesn't matter. I am addicted to sugar and only a mammoth-amount of motivation will snap me out of it. And, well, it just so happens mammoths are extinct.


What makes this recipe so perfect is the following -

1. I had blueberries that need to be used because I went overboard at the grocery store last week. I think I bought them with the intention of making every single blueberry pancake recipe I've pinned this month.
2. I have a tub of plain Chobani in my fridge...in my eyes, dairy's lifespan is a very delicate thing. It might be edible by the time I return next Tuesday, but who really wants to test that.
3. I could've made pancakes, I had all the ingredients and a recipe with yogurt in it. However: I just had pancakes (and will probably have more on vacation), I can't eat pancakes all by myself, and pancakes aren't exactly office-friendly. I assume most people prefer them fresh off the griddle, not cold and rubbery. And I'm sure the IT guy would have a heart attack watching people eat pancakes--dripping with syrup--directly over their keyboard. The horror!

Chomp chomp...smile.

Lastly, to prove that fate was actual involved with this decision (and that I'm not just on a perpetual sugar-high), I had LITERALLY just the right amount of vegetable oil for this recipe. Fate. 

 

I honestly do NOT know how I never connected the dots and thought to do something like this. I mean, pancakes...cakes. And it tastes pretty...IDENTICAL. It's wonderfully dense with a touch of sweetness (no "oops, I just drowned my pancakes in syrup" here). The subtle sweetness almost has me fooled into thinking it was "good" for me. Plus, on the outside, it looks totally unpretentious. Just another loaf...?

Actually, its BLUEBERRY-ISH MAPLE MADNESS. No utensils required.

Blueberry Pancake Pound Cake with Maple Glaze

Adapted from Candy Girl

Servings: 1 loaf

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

3/4 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)

3 eggs (or 1/2 cup egg whites)

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 to 2/3 cup blueberries

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray / butter a 8 inch loaf pan. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, wheat germ, powder, salt. 

• Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir to just combine. Add oil and blueberries and gently fold until absorbed; do NOT over mix. 

• Pour batter into pan and bake for 35-50 minutes (50 minutes was suggested, but mine was done just under 40 minutes). Cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out on a rack to cool.

Maple Glaze

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup

1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• Mix together syrup and sugar until a "glaze" consistency is reached. While cake is still warm, drizzle over top.