Lemon Blueberry Bread Tips

How do you keep this moist?

To keep this lemon blueberry bread moist, avoid using low-fat milk; stick to 2% or whole milk. Also, bring the eggs to room temperature before using. The glaze applied after baking will absorb into the warm bread, providing even more moisture. When cool, store the bread in an airtight container to keep prevent it from drying out. Be sure to follow these bread storage tips, too.

Any tips to prevent the edges of the bread from overcooking?

Breads typically bake from the outside in. If you notice during baking that the edges of your bread are browning quickly, tent the bread with a piece of aluminum foil. You might also want to bake your lemon blueberry bread either in a glass or light-colored metal pan as opposed to a dark metal pan, which absorbs more heat. Read more about baking in dark pans.

How can I make variations to this bread?

This quick bread is wonderfully versatile when it comes to varying the flavors and ingredients because of its lemon base (make sure you're juicing lemons the easy way!). For a delicious lemon raspberry bread, swap out raspberries for the blueberries. Turn this into an orange cranberry bread by using orange juice and cranberries. Cherries and almonds also pair beautifully with either lemon or orange.

Buttermilk Pound Cake Tips

What does buttermilk do to cake?

Buttermilk is a wonderful cake ingredient. Its acidic nature tenderizes the gluten in flour, yielding a moist and tender crumb in cakes.

How do you make buttermilk?

No buttermilk on hand? No problem! To make 1 cup buttermilk, combine 1 tablespoon white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice and enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes.

What else can I make with buttermilk?

The wonderful thing about buttermilk is that it is so versatile! Other baked goods and desserts that call for buttermilk include doughnuts, chocolate cupcakes, southern buttermilk biscuits and even peach ice cream! Buttermilk can also be used in creamy buttermilk salad dressing or as a marinade for buttermilk fried chicken with gravy.

How do I prevent my cake from sticking to the pan?

There is nothing worse than a cake that just doesn’t want to release properly from a pan! See how to correctly grease a Bundt pan so that your cake comes out perfectly every time.

Test Kitchen Tips

To soften the cream cheese, let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light or golden brown sugar. The types are generally interchangeable in recipes. But if you prefer a bolder flavor, choose dark brown sugar.

Find a recipe to use up the rest of that leftover pumpkin.

Strawberry Jam Cake Tips

Can you make this cake with freezer jam or strawberry preserves instead?

If you have homemade jam or preserves in your cupboard, you can substitute it for the jam in this strawberry jam cake. Use just enough to coat the cake layer; too much and your next layer may go sliding. For more ways to use up a strawberry harvest, try these strawberry desserts to swoon over.

How do you store strawberry jam cake?

Keep strawberry jam cake in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, stored in a cake container or cake dome. Gently press a piece of plastic wrap up against slices and any exposed cake to keep it from drying out. You can also freeze your cake (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months.

How can you replace cake flour in strawberry jam cake?

If a recipe calls for cake flour, you can swap in all-purpose if you’re in a pinch. Using cake flour will make a difference in the end product, though. And who doesn’t want lighter, airier cakes? Grab a box and use it in all these recipes with cake flour.

—Maggie Knoebel, Taste Recipes Associate Recipe Editor/Tester