Name: Slow-Cooker Blueberry Cornmeal Tea Cake
Total time: 3 h
Ingredients: 1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup (1¼ ounces/35 grams) cornmeal; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; Salt; 1/2 cup plain yogurt; 1/3 cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) granulated sugar; 1 large egg , room temperature; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled; 5 ounces (142 grams/1 cup) blueberries; 3/4 cup (3 ounces/85 grams) confectioners' sugar

Why This Recipe Works

This cake is easy to assemble and works as both an afternoon coffee accompaniment and a welcome dessert for a summer meal. We used a quick-bread method of mixing, combining just 4 tablespoons of melted (instead of creamed) butter with sugar, egg, leaveners, and flour, which gave the cake good height and a substantial crumb. For soft and creamy results, we mixed in yogurt, which contributed a subtle sweetness and moisture for a delicate texture. The addition of lemon zest gave our cake the final brightness that we wanted, pairing well with the juicy blueberries.

Before You Begin

Do not use stone-ground cornmeal here; it will yield a drier and less tender cake. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. The test kitchen's preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches, but you can substitute a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.

Instructions

Fill slow cooker with ½ inch water (about 2 cups) and place aluminum foil rack in bottom. Make foil sling for 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan by folding 2 long sheets of foil; first sheet should be 8½ inches wide and second sheet should be 4½ inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Lightly grease foil.

Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt together in bowl. In large bowl, whisk yogurt, granulated sugar, egg, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth, then slowly whisk in melted butter until well combined. Stir in flour mixture until just incorporated. Gently fold in blueberries.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Set pan on prepared rack, cover, and cook until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 2 to 3 hours on high.

Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift cake out of pan and transfer to rack; discard foil. Let cake cool completely, 1 to 2 hours.

Whisk confectioners’ sugar, pinch salt, and lemon juice in bowl until smooth. Flip cake over onto serving dish. Drizzle top and sides with glaze and let glaze set before serving, about 25 minutes.