The 'Burbs & Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Do you remember The 'Burbs?  Tom Hanks plays a stressed out suburbanite trying to enjoy his vacation but is lured by two neighbor's conspiracy theory that his new neighbors are creepy, in a cult or even murderers.  My sister and I loved that movie.  You could hear us blurt out, "It came with the frame!" and "pizza dude," at any random moment in the late 80's, early 90's.

A few weeks ago I had a flashback to one particular scene from the movie.  All the homeowners were enjoying the warmth of the sun, watering their perfect emerald green lawns, tending to their gardens, shooting hoops, painting their house and then the garage door opened...everyone on the block immediately stopped what they were doing as the Klopecks passed by in their rickety car.

That is exactly what happened when my neighbor opened her garage, pulled out of the driveway and drove on by.  We were just missing the eerie, suspenseful background music, but the two scenes were identical.

We have lived in our cozy little suburban neighborhood for over a year now and have seen our neighbor maybe five times.  Blinds and curtains are usually drawn the moment she hears my son and I walk out the door.  She has a lawn service tend to her yard and will make the block in her car just to get the mail which is only a few feet from her front steps.

Quite often her sun stroked potted plants will be replaced by vibrant, fresh and healthy flowers overnight.  When does she do it?  We have joked that she does it in the middle of the night, and guess what...she does.  My husband leaves the house at 5am for marathon training and found her tending to her sprinkler system with flashlight in tow.  So strange.

Agoraphobia would explain it...but we believe she has a 9-5 job.  We've also speculated that she is in the witness protection system or hiding from someone.  And of course, The 'Burbs cross our minds every once in a while.

She even missed out on this scrumptious pound cake.  It was so delicious my husband and I couldn't stop eating it, so out of the house it went.  Where to, you ask...our neighbors, on the other side of us.

Know Thy Neighbor Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake
slightly adapted by Central Market Cooks
Serves 16

3 cups flour
2 cups blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 egg white
8 ounces (1 cup) lemon yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon hot water

1. Toss 2 tablespoons of the flour with the blueberries in a small bowl to coat evenly. Mix the remaining flour with the baking powder and baking soda.
2. Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs and egg white one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing well after each addition. Fold in blueberries and vanilla.
4. Spoon into a 10-inch tube pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove to a cake plate.
5. For glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and hot water in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Drizzle over the warm cake. Cut the cake with a serrated knife to serve.
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