Barefoot Contessa's Blueberry (Blackberry) Crumb Cake

Scott and I got some blackberries in our Bountiful Basket this time around, and I wasn't totally sure what I wanted to do with them. Then, I was watching the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network, and I saw this recipe for a wonderful crumb cake that I thought would be equally good with blackberries or blueberries. We tried it out, and it was a hit. Scott even had a double helping for breakfast this morning.

Warm your cake up slightly and top it with powdered sugar or whipped cream (maybe even ice cream) and you have a tasty treat indeed! Enjoy!

The picture and recipe came from the Food Network website.

Blueberry (Blackberry) Crumb Cake

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, or blackberries

Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions

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.

*During the program, the Barefoot Contessa did mention that you do not want to over beat your cake batter if you want it to be light and fluffy. Also, to help make it light and fluffy, it's important to have your butter and eggs at room temperature. I also used a square glass pan instead of a round pan.