Visitation Blueberry Heart Shortcakes

History

In relative terms, the Feast of the Visitation is a more recent addition to the liturgical calendar. It was not added to the calendar until 1389, unlike many of the other feasts honoring the Mother of Our Lord, some of which date back to the fifth century. Given the history of the Church’s celebration of her Lord’s mother, there have emerged a number of symbols traditionally connected with Mary and the Marian days of the Church year.

Mary and the Color Blue

Mary is often pictured in a blue robe, making it her classic color—and for good reason! The color symbolizes purity as well as royalty. More than that, it is the color associated with Israel herself. In Numbers, the Lord has Israel wear tassels of blue on their garments, which was not only to distinguish them but also to call to mind their submission to the Lord and his commandments (Numbers 15:38-39).

Perhaps most interesting is the continued connection between Mary and the Ark of the Covenant. As we discussed in the Visitation post, Mary is the new ark as the God-bearer. But even the old Ark of the Covenant was robed in blue as we read in Numbers 4:6 when the Levites are to spread a cloak of blue cloth over the ark.

Mary and the Heart

The heart shape is inspired by Mary’s devotion, especially as demonstrated in her submission to the Lord’s will for her life at the Annunciation as well as her joy at her Visitation. McLoughlin explains in her book My Nameday: Come for Dessert that the “heart in art is considered to be the source of understanding, love, courage, devotion, and joy.”

Blueberry Heart Shortcakes

The blueberry shortcake is, of course, a spin off of the most famous strawberry shortcake. Our inspiration comes from many sources, including the aforementioned McLoughlin text, which mentions the prominence of blue and heart-shaped desserts traditionally made in honor of Mary and her days on the Church calendar. Both the blue and heart-shaped characteristics of this particular summery treat give this dessert a Mary-themed feel, making it perfect for the Feast of the Visitation!

It is a simple three-part recipe including a vanilla cake, stewed berries, and whipped cream (your choice of homemade or store-bought)!

Ingredients

½ cup butter

2 cups granulated sugar divided

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

2 ¼ cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 cups blueberries

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Start the blueberry topping by combining the blueberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, and a splash of water in a pot on the stovetop. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 20 min.
3. Meanwhile, start the cake batter. Cream together the butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Then add in the vanilla, eggs, and milk. Once combined, sift in the flour and baking powder.
4. Spread the batter over two greased 9×12 pans and bake for 25-30 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 min and then remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
5. To make the whipped cream, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
6. Assemble the cakes by cutting out the cake into heart shapes, drizzle with cooled blueberry topping, whipped cream, and top with another heart cake and whipped cream.

Sources:
1. McLoughlin, Helen. My Nameday: Come for Dessert. The Liturgical Press. 1962.
2. “Why is the Virgin Mary always wearing blue?” by Philip Kosloski from Aleteia