Peanut Butter Footprints: Blueberry Blue Velvet Cake

Last week, I had the joy of scanning various cake recipes and choosing one to make Dan for his birthday. I was torn between some form of peanut butter cake (we both LOVE peanut butter —or any nut butter for that matter) and a blue velvet cake from i heart chocolate milk. In the end, the blue velvet cake won —we both found it intriguing. We had never seen anything like it before! I've made red velvet cakes and blueberry lemon cakes, but I never, ever thought to combine velvet and blueberries, which turned out to be an amazing and tasty combination. The cake only lasted two days —between myself, Dan, and the boys, we devoured it.

Here's what you'll need for the blueberry blue velvet cake:

3 cup AP flour
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups fresh blueberries
blue food colouring

Here's what you'll need for the cream cheese frosting:

1/2 cup salted butter
1 8oz package of cream cheese
3 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9" cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease again.

In a bowl, combine, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir together.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until it is light and creamy (~3 minutes) and then add the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (~3 or so minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after the addition of each egg. Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Add the blue food colouring here. Make the batter as dark or light as you want by adjusting the amount of blue food colouring that you use. I probably put in 10 drops. Mix batter after adding in the blue food colouring.

Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the addition of milk. So, basically: 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 flour mixture. Be sure to fully incorporate after each addition.

Fold in the blueberries gently. It's okay if some "bust". Not a big deal at all!

Divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake for 35 minutes (or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean).

Let the cake cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, you can make the cream cheese frosting.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Slowly add the confectioner's sugar and beat until it is fully incorporate. I always do this by adding 1 cup at a time; this prevents an explosion of confectioner's sugar all over the countertop, etc. After, the confectioner's sugar is fully incorporated, add the vanilla; beat until it is combined.

Spread a thick layer of frosting over the first layer of the cake. Be sure to spread to the edges. Now, place the second layer of the cake on top of the first layer.

Place a large spoonful of frosting in the center of the second layer of the cake, spreading along the top and sides of the cake. You can also add other decorations (e.g., "Happy birthday", swirls, etc.) if you desire.