A Recipe from The Northfield Cookbook (1957)

About the Recipe

Every summer, as we get closer to fall a few things are sure to happen: School starts, it gets way hotter than it feels like it should, everyone is freckled and tanned, and Pablo’s going to do an asado. A feast for kings of meat upon meat with sides and cold beverages. And every summer at the asado, I bring the dessert. Usually a blueberry one as the last of the season comes around the bend. This year, it was Fran’s Blueberry Cake.

For a hectic time of year, this cake was absolutely perfect. Literally dump everything in the mixer, run it on stir setting for a minute or two. Finish it with a spatula. Dump into the pan. Bake. DONE!

The result is a light, fluffy cake with a bit of a crisp on top from the caramelized sugar sprinkled on top. It was the perfect counter to the heavy, meaty meal. And with how easy it is to bake, I know this is going to be a regular in my kitchen.

About the book

The history of this book is so freaking cool. I got it from a friend who was helping to liquidate her partner’s mother’s extensive collection of cookbooks. The Northfield School for Girls exists today as part of Northfield Mount Hermon, a private school in Massachusetts. It boasts many famous alumni including Laura Linney, Natalie Cole, Uma Thurman, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Bette Davis, and more. Such a lovely snapshot into history.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 egg
1/3 cup oil
1 cup milk
1 cup blueberries

Directions:

Mix above ingredients together all at once. Pour into a greased 8″ square pan; sprinkle top with sugar. Bake at 350*F for 1/2 hour.

Wonderful served hot with ice cream!