Blueberry Crumb Cake Summary
It's easy to find an occasion to serve this cake breakfast,
brunch, lunch, dinner or snacktime will do. The dominant flavor here is
the berries. Don't be tempted to increase the amount of walnuts in
the topping scarcity makes them even more delightful.
Ingredients
For the crumbs: * 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
For the cake: * 1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries (preferably fresh,
or frozen, not thawed)
* 2 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 2/3 cup sugar
* Grated zest of 1/2 lemon or 1/4 orange
* 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 2 large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
Method
* Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to
350 degrees. Butter an 8x8-inch pan (Pyrex is great for this) and put it
on a lined baking sheet.
* To make the crumbs: Put all the ingredients except the nuts in a
food processor and pulse just until the mixture forms clumps and curds
and holds together when pressed. Scrape the topping into a bowl, stir in
the nuts and press a piece of plastic against the surface. Refrigerate
until needed. (Covered well, the crumb mix can be refrigerated for about
3 days.)
* To make the cake batter: Using your fingertips, toss the
blueberries and 2 teaspoons of the flour together just to coat the
berries; set aside. Whisk together the remaining 2 cups flour, the
baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
* Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in another large bowl, rub
the sugar and zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is
moist and aromatic. Add the butter and, with the paddle or whisk
attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar with the butter at
medium speed until light, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one,
beating for about 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla
extract. Don't be concerned if the batter looks curdled it
will soon smooth out. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour
mixture and the buttermilk alternately, the flour in 3 parts, the
buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients). You will have
a thick, creamy batter. With a rubber spatula, gently stir in the
berries.
* Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and smooth the top gently
with the spatula. Pull the crumb mix from the refrigerator and, working
with your fingertips, break it into pieces. There's no need to try
to get even pieces these are crumbs and they're supposed to be
lumpy and bumpy and every shape and size. Scatter the crumbs over the
batter, pressing them down ever so slightly.
* Slide the sheet into the oven and bake 55 to 65 minutes, or until
the crumbs are golden and a knife inserted into the center of the cake
comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool just until it is
warm or until it reaches room temperature.
* Serving: Like all good coffee cakes, this needs nothing but coffee
or tea.
* Storing: Best served the day it is made, the cake can be wrapped
well and kept overnight at room temperature.
Variations
* This batter works well with almost any kind of berry (except
strawberries they're too watery) in place of or with the
blueberries, as well as with slices or cubes of soft fruits, such as
peeled peaches or nectarines, apricots or plums.
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