Blueberry Crumb Cake

Ah, Ina has done it again. But then she always does! With me, this woman can do no wrong, literally. (Except for perhaps the Croissant Bread Pudding I recently made, but that was because I apparently detest bread pudding of all kinds, and not because of anything dear Ina did.) I want her home, her kitchen and especially her gardens. Covet, covet. I love nearly all of her recipes. I find them basically uncomplicated but also refined to the palate, thus thoroughly enjoyable.

I saw her make this Blueberry Crumb Cake on her recent Weekend Lunch episode. Frankly it looked divine. I myself am not an obsessive crumb cake personality such as my husband happens to be, but like any other good wife I do try to please him, and therefore decided to make this dessert on his behalf. Little did I know I'd end up eating most all of it myself.

It's just that it was so good. With the lemon zest and the fat, sweet blueberries---I found myself eating three whole pieces at one sitting. Oh the husband had some too, don't get me wrong, just not a whole lot, as most of it was gone by the time he made it home. And so if you like blueberries and crumb cakes of any kind, be sure to try this recipe. It will not disappoint!

My grade: B+ (I piled the streusel on too high, rendering it somewhat dry, which was completely my fault. Had I not, the grade would be higher.)


Blueberry Crumb Cake

Ingredients:

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 Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan. Preparation: 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.