Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Old-Fashioned Blueberry Coffee Cake












Blueberries are finally starting to taste good again. For months, they've been tasteless and mealy but with the advent of spring, they're back in markets with a much better flavor and texture -- just in time for a coffeecake.


The recipe is from Bon Appétit magazine and was just the thing for serving warm from the oven when three of my high school friends came visiting earlier this week. It holds up well too at room temperature, even for a couple of days. That is, if you can keep from eating the whole thing right away.











(My notes in red.)


Ingredients





Servings: 8–12


Crumb Topping





  • 1/2
    cup
    all-purpose flour




  • 1/4
    cup
    plus 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar




  • 1/2
    teaspoon
    kosher salt (I'd use just a pinch of table salt here next time.)



  • 1/4
    cup
    pecans, toasted, chopped




  • 3
    tablespoons
    chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes





Cake







  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray




  • 1 1/2
    cups
    all-purpose flour




  • 1
    tablespoon
    cornmeal




  • 1/2
    teaspoon
    baking powder




  • 1/2
    teaspoon
    baking soda




  • 1/4
    teaspoon
    kosher salt (I would use just a pinch of table salt next time)



  • 3/4
    cup
    plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided




  • 6
    tablespoons
    (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature




  • 1/2
    teaspoon
    vanilla extract




  • 2

    large eggs




  • 1
    cup
    buttermilk




  • 1
    tablespoon
    ground cinnamon




  • 2
    cups
    fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries (about 10 ounces)




  • 1
    tablespoon
    panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) (not necessary - the Panko doesn't really stick to the blueberries anyway)









Instructions:








  • Preheat oven to
    350°. Coat 8 x 8 inch pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom with parchment paper;
    set aside. (I used a buttered cast iron skillet.) Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
    in a medium bowl; set aside.




  • Using an
    electric mixer on medium speed, beat 3/4 cup sugar and butter in a
    medium bowl until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add
    eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally
    scraping down sides of bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy, 3–4
    minutes longer.




  • With mixer on
    low speed, add dry ingredients to bowl in 3 additions, alternating with
    buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
    Pour half of batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Whisk remaining 3
    Tbsp. sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over batter in
    pan. Spoon remaining batter over; smooth top.




  • Toss blueberries with panko in a small bowl; scatter evenly over batter. Sprinkle crumb topping over blueberries.




  • Bake cake until
    top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out
    clean, 55–65 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1
    day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. 



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