Blueberry Crumb Cake

Spring is finally here and while I can't get in the gardens yet (it's a muddy mess) I can celebrate warmer temps by baking up a spring treat. I recently purchased a few Meyer lemons. Sweeter than traditional lemons, Meyer lemons are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. They're available for a limited time (at least on Ohio) so I always try to grab a bag when they're in season.

I still have a few summer blueberries in the freezer. Each spring I inventory the freezer and try to use up last year's meat and produce in preparation for the summer and fall harvest. Lemons and blueberries pair well and I browsed several recipes that incorporated both. And then I came across Ina Garten's Blueberry Crumb Cake.

I modified the recipe slightly, substituting Meyer lemon zest for regular lemon zest and used my frozen, rather than fresh berries. This was the first time I made the cake and it turned out well. Sweet, tangy and tender with a nice crumb topping.

A Meyer lemon (left) is a cross between a lemon and mandarin
orange. It's sweeter than a regular lemon (right).

Blueberries freeze beautifully. No need to thaw before adding to the batter.

Finishing touch: powdered sugar atop the crumb.

Fine, tender crumb studded with blueberries and topped with a sweet craggy streusel 

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Adapted from Ina Garten

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 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated Meyer or regular 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 or frozen blueberries: If using frozen, do not thaw
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 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, one 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 with a spatula.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

Freezing Berries

Besides being easy to preserve (just two steps!), summer berries taste delicious in the winter. I use frozen berries in a variety of dishes, including baked goods and pastries, sauces, smoothies and occasionally... margaritas!

When thawed, frozen berries will rend water. To avoid overly wet cakes, I use recipes where thawing isn't required. I've included one of my faves: Blueberry Buckle, a tender cake loaded with berries and topped with a lemony, cinnamon crumble.

Although we have about a dozen blueberry bushes, they're too young to produce many berries. Instead, we purchased about 10 pounds of big, sweet berries from a local grower. By volume, that's equal to about two gallons.

Freezing berries in a single layer prevents the berries from freezing in a mass, ensuring you'll be able to pull out just the amount you need. The method below can be used with most kinds of berries. We also grow and freeze strawberries, blackberries and raspberries.

Wash & dry berries and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Place tray in the freezer overnight.

When berries are frozen, remove to a ziplock freezer bag.
Place in freezer and use within one year. Easy peasy!

No need to thaw before using to make Blueberry Buckle.
Just scoop what you need from your freezer bag!

Frozen berries will hold their shape in baked goods. No more purple batter!

Buckle is perfect for dessert, breakfast or with afternoon tea.

Berry Freezing Process
Wash berries and place on a kitchen towel in a single layer. Gently pat dry. Place berries in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place pan, uncovered, in freezer overnight. Next day, remove frozen berries to a ziplock freezer bag. Date bag, place in freezer and use within one year.

Blueberry Buckle
From King Arthur Flour

• 
  
• Crumb topping:
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

• Cake:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" square or 9" round cake pan. If you use a round pan, make sure it's at least 2" deep.

Make the topping: Mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt in a small bowl. Cut or rub in the butter with a fork or your finger tips until it reaches a crumbly state. Set aside.

Make the cake: Blend the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Alternately add the milk and the flour mixture to the sugar/butter mixture, ending with flour. Fold in blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the topping over the batter.

Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and set it on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: about 12 to 16 servings.

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