Description
Ina Garten’s blueberry crumb cake combines rich buttermilk batter with plump berries and a crisp streusel topping. Home bakers can master this classic dessert with simple ingredients and straightforward techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ pound (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 6 tbsps (85 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 1 ⅓ cups (167 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp grated lemon zest
- Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 9-inch round baking pan with butter and flour to prevent adhesion.
- Crumb Topping: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, granulated sugar, nutmeg, flour, and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Blend until a coarse, crumbly texture develops.
- Butter Mixture: Cream granulated sugar and softened butter using an electric mixer until light, fluffy, and pale, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Wet Ingredients Integration: Gradually incorporate eggs, ensuring each is fully blended. Fold in vanilla extract, lemon zest, and sour cream until achieving a smooth consistency.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder together, eliminating potential lumps and ensuring even distribution of leavening components.
- Batter Assembly: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture on low speed, mixing minimally. Delicately incorporate blueberries using a rubber spatula to prevent berry breakage.
- Pan Placement: Distribute batter evenly in prepared pan. Artfully sprinkle crumb topping across surface, using fingertips to create a textured landscape.
- Baking Process: Bake for 45-55 minutes until a cake tester reveals minimal moist crumbs when inserted near the center.
- Finishing Touch: Allow cake to cool completely in pan for one hour. Dust with powdered sugar before serving for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Boost Butter Freshness: Use room temperature butter for smoother creaming and better cake texture, ensuring ingredients blend seamlessly.
- Prevent Blueberry Sinking: Lightly coat fresh blueberries in flour before folding into batter to prevent them from sinking during baking.
- Master Mixing Technique: Mix dry ingredients separately and fold gently into wet mixture to avoid overmixing, which can create a tough cake texture.
- Perfect Crumb Topping: Press crumb mixture lightly onto cake surface to create a crispy, defined layer that won’t completely dissolve during baking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg