A few days ago, I asked for help identifying a recipe with a layer of cake, blueberries and cream. It was a dessert someone brought to a teacher’s conference last year and it was so good, people remembered it many months later.
Baking Blonde pointed towards this recipe on allrecipes.com. On paper, Nova Scotia Blueberry Cream Cake sounded like it might be similar to the memorable potluck dessert which was described to me as a layer of cake topped with berries and cream – not unlike a Boston Cream Pie.
This cake was more like a cheesecake than a Boston Cream Pie. I don’t think it was the dessert we were searching for, but it’s so good that I would definitely make it and serve it myself.
As for the name, Nova Scotia Blueberry Cream Cake is only cake in the sense that a cheesecake might be called a cake. There’s not a cake layer, but rather a shortbread crust which soaks up a moisture from the berries and makes a nice base for the fruit and cream. Slices hold their shape quite well.
Here’s a photo of the whole cake before being sliced, plated and topped with whipped cream.
Blueberry Sour Cream Tart aka Nova Scotia Blueberry Cream Cake
Nova Scotia Blueberry Cream Cake
Crust:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (6 ¾ oz)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces butter, unsalted (cold)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
4 cups fresh blueberries or thawed and drained frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups sour cream
½ cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sweetened whipped cream for topping
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 inch round springform pan with cooking spray. It’s best to use light colored (silver) rather than black.
In a bowl or food processor, combine flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut or process in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir or process in the egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Pat lightly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Sprinkle cornstarch over the blueberries and gently stir to coat cornstarch with blueberries (it will disappear as you stir). Spread the blueberries over the crust.
Stir sour cream, ½ cup of sugar, egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of vanilla together in a mixing bowl. Pour this mixture over the blueberries and carefully spread it across the top.
Set the springform pan on a foil lined cookie sheet** and bake for 60 to 70 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is lightly browned around edges – it should still look a little loose in the center and will set as it cools and chills. Loosen hot cake from pan with a knife, but do not remove sides quite yet. Cool completely and chill for a few hours. Remove sides of springform pan. Serve each slice with whipped cream or spread whipped cream over entire cake before slicing.
Makes 8 servings.
Anna
Jody, that was a good call on the ricotta and yogurt combo. Thanks for letting us know it worked! I haven't made this recipe in a while, but plan to as soon as I can get a good deal on blueberries. But yes, you managed to infuse some protein into it so that's great. I guess it's now an Italian Nova Scotia Cream Cake.
Jody
The first time I made this cake I had no sour cream so substituted 1 1/2 cups ricotta and 1/2 c Greek yogurt in its place. SO GOOD and maybe even healthy.
Brian Tremain
I got this basic recipe from Bon Appetit, August ,1979 and have been enjoying it ever sense.
Fritz
Great recipe! I made this cake already twice, once with blueberries and once with cherries and both times it became delicious. By the way, I used cookie crumbs for the crust and that worked very well.
scarlet
I have made this recipe many times and it is always a hit. I have used greek yogurt and it is almost impossible to taste the difference. Don't miss this one
Anna
Hi Joan,
Glad you found the recipe! Have a good weekend.
joan
I've made this cake many times & it's always a hit. I found the recipe several years ago in a Downhomer Magazine with some slight variations. I'm about to make it again today for a Family gathering & couldn't find my magazine. Thank God for Google.
Anna
Elisa, I'm afraid the yogurt would break down and curdle.
Elisa
What do you think would happen if you substituted yogurt for the sour cream?
Aurora
This is the most amazing recipe! The prep was so fast and easy with the food processor! I am looking forward to trying it with some wild blueberries!!
judy
I made this and yes, it is wonderful. The crust reminded me of a shortbread and the blueberry/sour cream topping is a perfect balance with the crust. It was easy to make and will be a repeat recipe.
Alex
This cream cake recipe was one of the house specialties at a restaurant called The Cape House Inn, located in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. The restaraunt closed about 20 years ago, but this recipe is definitely a legacy.
Mark
As a reader of this blog from Nova Scotia, I would say yup, that looks like something you could easily get here around blueberry season...just about now. Yummmy!
katie
Wow thats purple! I love how it looks creamy on top and then when you cut into it you get the brilliant purple from the blueberries. Looks divine
runjess
Wow! No wonder it was remembered!
giz
What a show stopper that is. I have a Nova Scotia cookbook and each and every recipe in that book makes your eyes go WOW!!! Couple that with the wonderful people of the Canadian Maritimes - you've got heaven.
Candy
This looks really good!
rebecca
this looks delicious. now i know what i want for dinner. 😉
Kristen
Wow, that's gorgeous! *drools* 😉
bakingblonde
Awe, too bad that wasn't it. I sure does look DELICIOUS though!!
VeggieGirl
Oooh, gorgeous!
clumbsycookie
I was gonna say the same thing! Pretty color!
Joanna
wow this looks so rich. the top looks like a custard. blueberry pie is my second favorite pie (cherry taking the cake), so i know this must be good.
Katrina
Holy Lot-of-blueberriness, Batman! Looks good.