I had several containers of blueberries left over from a recent TV appearance, so I wanted to use them before they spoiled. After thinking it over, I decided to bake. I developed a couple of recipes: a batch of blueberry muffins I loved and a blueberry coffee cake that turned out wonderfully.
Today was the first day of fall — foggy, overcast, and quite chilly — which made staying inside to bake even more appealing.
It’s worth mentioning I’ve had a busy few weeks in the kitchen. I taught a sushi class and a gourmet pizza class, catered a 100-person event on my own, and appeared on a local morning show for National Breakfast Month. All were rewarding but exhausting, particularly the event prep. Thankfully everything went smoothly.
With six boxes of blueberries to use up, I started by baking a first batch of muffins that looked great but lacked flavor. Not satisfied, I tried again.
The second batch of muffins was my favorite — a simple, tasty recipe I developed by combining a few reliable elements. They were moist and flavorful and easy to adapt as you go.
My third creation that day was a Blueberry Coffee Cake. It was full of flavor, though sampling all three treats in a short span left me feeling a bit overindulged — I’m used to lots of chocolate, not so much cake.
Over the next few days I’ll post the muffin recipe I preferred and explain what went wrong with the first batch. For now, here is the recipe for my Blueberry Coffee Cake. I didn’t photograph each step because I was pressed for time, but feel free to ask if you have any questions.
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Serves 10–12
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and thoroughly dried
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a bundt pan or spray it with nonstick baking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and 1 cup sugar, mixing until smooth. Beat in the eggs, then stir in the crème fraîche (or sour cream) until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until just combined; do not overmix.
Spread half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan. In a small bowl, mix the 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon and vanilla. Sprinkle half of this cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter, then scatter half of the blueberries on top. Spread the remaining batter over the fruit, then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar and top with the remaining blueberries.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Baking times can vary slightly by oven; begin checking at about 50 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
Serve warm or at room temperature with your favorite morning beverage and enjoy.