Blueberry Crumb Cake – Cool Summer Days Are Meant For Baking

Last week was a blessed, blessed reprieve from the unnaturally hot summer that we have been having here in Alberta and on much of the prairies. It felt so good to throw all the windows open early in the morning and not have to worry about running around and closing everything all up once the outside temperature overtook the temperature indoors.  It also felt good to get some cooking done. The first thing I did was pre heat the oven so that I could bake Smitten Kitchen’s Blueberry Crumble Cake. I had seen the cake on their Instagram feed and thought that would be a great way to use up all the blueberries I had. Once I started reading the comments I wasn’t so sure. One baker pointed out that flipping a crumb topped cake out of a cake pan was risky business and ended up with quite a mess in her kitchen. I reread the recipe and decided that since they were lining the cake pan with parchment paper, I could use a spring form pan and skip the flipping entirely.

I loved how decadent and thick the batter was when I plopped it into the pan. I couldn’t resist licking the spoon and bowl afterwards and to me, that is the mark of a good cake to come.

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Blueberry Crumb Cake

by: Deb from Smitten Kitchen

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The perfect blueberry crumb cake to have with tea.

• Difficulty:Easy
• Prep Time:20 mins
• Cook Time:50 mins
• Serves:8

Nutrition per portion

Ingredients

• FOR THE CRUMB
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• FOR THE CAKE
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar
• lemon; zested
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 to 2 2/3 cups frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup (55 grams) walnuts, chopped medium fine (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 C. Line the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan with a traced circle of parchment paper. Butter the sides of the pan.
2. Combine all CRUMB ingredients together then cut in butter to make coarse crumbs. Set aside.
3. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
4. With a mixer, beat butter, sugar and zest together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
5. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
6. Add 1/3 dry ingredients and mix slightly, then add 1/4 cup milk and mix again.
7. Repeat additions, alternating dry and wet, ensuring that you finish with the dry ingredients.
8. Fold blueberries and walnuts into thick batter until they are evenly distributed.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth surface.
10. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the entire surface.
11. Bake about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
12. Cool slightly on a rack, then release the sides of the spring form and cool further.

At first I felt guilty about having a piece for breakfast the next day but then I just convinced myself that this cake is really just a large muffin in disguise.