The Romance of Baking Blueberry Yogurt Loaf Cake

What baking, Luther Vandross, and a blueberry loaf reminded me about creativity and coming home to myself.

There’s so much romance in baking.
It’s one of the coziest, most intentional hobbies you can have. Meditative. Creative. Therapeutic, even. And when you’ve got some jazz playing in the background—or some old school r&b—it becomes a whole vibe. A little world you get to create, where everything slows down and the simple act of mixing flour and sugar feels like an offering.
An act of love.
A soft place to land.

In a world that moves fast, baking invites you to slow down and make something with love, with your hands, and on purpose.

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to start baking again. Nothing fancy. Just a quiet promise I made to myself to bring something sweet back into my life. And I’ve been sticking with it—and I’m so glad I have.

So far, my favorite thing I’ve made is a Blueberry Cake Loaf with a Blueberry Mascarpone Spread.

I woke up craving something blueberry that morning, and this recipe seemed simple enough to scratch that itch. I wasn’t trying to do too much. Just something light. Soft. Sweet.

I had the music going—Luther Vandross, of course—and somewhere between folding in the flour and tasting the batter, my youngest wandered into the kitchen and asked if he could help.
So I turned the music up.
Gave him instruction along the way.
And we baked together.

And I swear, in that moment, it felt like something out of a movie.
One of those small, quiet scenes you remember forever.

I’ve been knee-deep in editing my upcoming romance release, Promise, all week—and I haven’t baked a thing yet. Now my hands are itching for it. There’s already another loaf lined up in my mind, ready to go.

Loafs seem to be my thing right now.
There’s something so simple about them. Easy to pull together, easy to share. I love that anyone in the house can cut themselves a slice and go on about their day—whether they’re tucking it into their lunch or grabbing a sweet bite after dinner. No fuss, just comfort.

But this one?
This Blueberry Loaf?
I loved it so much, I had to stop myself from slicing into it before it cooled. I’m obsessed with blueberries—always have been—and this loaf wasn’t too sweet, which I loved. It was just soft enough, just warm enough, and the Blueberry Mascarpone Spread made it perfect. Sweet, but not too sweet. It felt…right. Like something I’d make again and again.

I’ve been brainstorming ways to combine my love of reading, writing, and baking—and what I’ve cooked up has me so excited. I can’t wait to share it when the time is right. But in the meantime, if you want to get a little taste of what’s been filling my kitchen lately, here’s the recipe:

Blueberry Yogurt Loaf Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs

• ¾ cup sugar (180g)

• ¾ cup butter (1½ sticks or 180g), softened

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour (190g)

• 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup blueberries (frozen), tossed in 1 teaspoon flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 365°F (convection/fan).

2. In a bowl, whisk the sugar and butter for 3-4 minutes until fluffy (use an electric mixer). Add the eggs and whisk again for 1 minute.

3. Add the Greek yogurt and whisk again.

4. Sift and fold in the dry ingredients, then gently fold in the flour-coated blueberries.

5. Transfer the batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

6. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Let cool completely before serving.

Blueberry Mascarpone Topping:

Mix together:

• 1 tablespoon blueberry jam (for a quick method)

• 7 oz (200g) mascarpone cream

This recipe is so quick and easy, you can even whip it up on a weeknight while making dinner. I promise you—it’s worth it, just to have dessert waiting when you’re done.

I shared on Threads recently that books and creative writing have healed me the most over the years. But as I’ve been getting back into baking, I’m reminded of how much this does it for me too. There’s something about it—measuring, mixing, folding in ingredients—that settles me in a way not much else does. My husband said it best when I handed him a slice of this loaf:
"I love the mood you’re in when you’re baking—you’re so relaxed."
And he’s right. It really does something to me.

Lately, being in this in-between space, I’ve had a quick thought: maybe I’ll start another home bakery business like I did years ago. Maybe open a stand at the local farmers market. Maybe set up a little roadside booth, or do deliveries around the neighborhood.
But for now, I’m praying on it.
Because everything doesn’t need to be a thing, you know?
And I don’t want to suck the fun out of my hobby trying to make it more than what it needs to be.

Still… the idea I’ve been working on?
That feels good.
It’s taking all of my good sense not to tell you what it is already. But I’m holding it close for now. Letting it rise slow, like bread dough on a quiet afternoon. Trusting that when it’s ready, I’ll know. And when I do, you’ll be the first to hear about it.

In the meantime, I’m reminded of this: homemaking has always been one of the best ways to tap back into my creativity. There’s something about using your hands, moving with intention, and engaging all your senses—the feel of dough under your palms, the scent of something sweet baking in the oven, the sound of your favorite playlist humming low in the background. It’s art. It’s therapy. It’s prayer.
And if you let it, it can be one of the most beautiful love stories you ever write.

Let me know if you end up trying the Blueberry Yogurt Loaf Cake.

With love and something sweet,
Jhéanell