It seems this is how the other half lives. With closets and pantry's and actual dinning room tables. Something I can only wish for.
I made sure to arrive at the house with a cake because I know the quickest way to get invited back is to show up with gifts of sweets. This particular cake is the ideal thing to bring to any kind of housewarming because people just eat it up. It dense and buttery and studded with just enough blueberries that you can convince yourself you are eating something somewhat virtuous (you aren't but but I see no issues with lying to yourself). The strussel topping provides the necessary crunch and takes this into coffee cake territory (which is a wonderful place to go). I've eaten wedges for breakfast and I also have found myself enjoying a wedge as an afternoon snack. It's a cake that works any time of day and a cake that everyone loves and it's a cake you will find yourself making constantly.
Blueberry Cornmeal Butter Cake
Recipe from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
Make 12 -16 servings
I have made this cake so many times it scares me. The cornmeal is probably the single greatest addition to blueberry coffee cake as itt provides just the right amount of textural contrast (and superb flavor). I promise you will love it too. I will cough up to the fact that my blueberries sink to the bottom of the cake almost every time I make this. I blame myself. If your's does the same don't be sad. It still tastes absurdly amazing.
For the Cake
1 cup
all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons
baking powder
½ teaspoon
salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons)
unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon
vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon
lemon zest
1/3 cup sour
cream
2 cups
blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
For the Strussel Topping
½ cup sugar
6 tablespoons
flour
2 tablespoon
cornmeal
¼ teaspoon
ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted
butter, COLD and cut into small pieces
Preheat oven
to 350*.
Line the
bottom of an 8x8" square pan with parchment paper, and then coat the
parchment paper and sides with nonstick cooking spray. Wipe the cooking spray
to evenly spread and to ensure it gets in all of the corners, thoroughly
coating the bottom and sides.
Whisk the
flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, use
an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy,
for at least 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl
after each addition, then add the vanilla and zest.
Then add a third of the flour mixture, all of the sour cream,
and another third of the flour mixture - beating until just blended after each
addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix the remaining third of
flour mixture with the blueberries. Gently fold the blueberry-flour mixture
into the cake batter.
Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan.
For the
streusel topping, combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mash in the cold
butter pieces with a fork, your fingertips, or pastry blender. Scatter the
topping evenly over the batter.
Bake the cake about 35 minutes or until the top is golden
brown and center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5
minutes. Run a knife or spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake,
then flip out onto a wire cooling rack (flipping again to make it
right-side-up).
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