Blueberry Swirl Honey Pound Cake

Heat the oven to 350ºF with a rack in the center position. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper. (While it’s not the end of the world, a lighter colored loaf pan will help prevent it from getting too dark.)

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 ½ cup blueberries (save the rest for garnish), lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat until the blueberries are softened and the jam is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and honey together. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

To a small bowl, strain 1 tablespoon of the blueberry jam through a fine-mesh sieve (if you don’t mind the pieces, you can skip straining). Set aside. In a second small bowl, combine ½ cup of the batter with the remaining blueberry jam.

Add ⅔ of the plain batter to the bottom of the loaf pan and spread into an even layer. Top with the blueberry batter, then finish with the remaining plain batter. Don’t swirl!! It will swirl itself in the oven as the jam-batter sinks. Run the knife down the center to help create a crack while baking.

Bake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 65 to 80 minutes. Place tinfoil gently on top if it starts to brown too quickly. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool mostly in the pan.

While it cools, add the powdered sugar, salt, and water as needed to the bowl with the remaining tablespoon of jam. Everyone's jam will be slightly thicker or runnier, which is why I say to add water as needed rather than a specific amount.

Once the pound cake has fully cooled, spread the glaze evenly over the top, then garnish with the remaining blueberries. Let the glaze set before slicing into the cake, about 20 minutes