Like many bakers, I draw my baking inspiration from what looks good at the market. At the moment, the limelight falls on blueberries.It is the peak season for blueberries now, and the best time to devour this antioxidant rich superfood. In Georgia, it has been a good year for the local blueberries farms. Excellent crops have been reported, unlike last year, when the Easter freeze had wiped out 86% of the georgia state's blueberries. The good crop has translated into fresh fruits with an endearing price tag to the consumers. Always a welcoming sight when prices of everything else rockets up.
The blueberries are sweet to eat out of hand, so some have found their ways into my morning bowl of granola and soy milk. Some have been dispatched to decorate a birthday cheesecake, while the rest of the cohorts are turned into this blueberry crumb cake.
The recipe I use for the crumb cake comes from one of my favorite food network host-Ina Garten. Although not a fan of the show itself, I love how simple and tasty her recipes always turn out. The blueberry crumb cake is no exception. It is fitting for a weekend brunch, or as a dessert after dinner, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. I added in another 1/2 cup of blueberries to the recipe, following a suggestion made by a reviewer on the site.
My initial intention has been a thin slice for sampling and photo shoot before sending the rest to OCT's lab. But I like it so much that I succumb to the temptation and sneak another slice onto my plate once my first one is polished! Total lack of abstinance, as OCT would say.
Blueberry Crumb Cake
adopted from Barefoot Contessa via Food Network.com
For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
For the cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries (I used 1.5 cups)
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.
For the streusel:
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.
For the cake:
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined.
Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers,crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.
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