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crumb cake

Mixed Berry Ginger Crumb Cake

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Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson is a popular cookbook full of a wonderful combination of all kinds of different cake recipes (layer, cupcakes, rolls, angel, bundt, etc.).

This Mixed Berry Ginger Crumb Cake, published by Brown-Eyed Baker, is slightly adapted from Vintage Cakes (only the amount of berries is changed).

Berry Crumb Cake

It’s a coffee-cake-ish cake loaded with macerated berries and sprinkled with a buttery crumb topping. The cornmeal in it gives it an interesting crunch which I rather like.

It reminds me of sweet cornbread, just not quite as corn-mealy. Then you top it with a ton of those vanilla soaked (or brandy soaked, your choice) berries and it becomes a substantial, delicious cake.

Berry Crumb Cake

Berry Crumb Cake

Make sure and get that crumb topping very crumbly. I left a few big butter pockets and it results in pools of butter floating around while the cake is baking. Not to worry, it soaked it after it cooled, but it’s probably best to blend that butter in a little better.

My topping was more flat than crumbly, but good otherwise!

I won’t use candied ginger in the topping again as I don’t care for the bursts of ginger through it. That’s entirely subjective, though – you might like it.

We enjoyed this cake (the royal ‘We’ since Bret doesn’t like berries). It’s good for dessert, breakfast or a snack!

Berry Crumb Cake

Mixed Berry Ginger Crumb Cake

Yield: 9
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Spongy coffee cake loaded with macerated berries and a crumb topping. The corn meal gives it an interesting texture.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. berries (about 5-6 cups), washed and patted dry, (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and/or chopped strawberries)
  • 1/2 C (3 1/2 oz) sugar
  • 2 tbsp vanilla (or brandy if desired)
  • Topping:
  • 1/3 C (2 1/2 oz) firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 C (1 1/4 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 C (1 1/2 oz) diced candied ginger
  • 4 tbsp (2 oz) butter, almost room temperature, cut into very small cubes
  • Cake:
  • 1 1/2 C (7 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 C (2 3/4 oz) fine cornmeal
  • 1/2 C (3 1/2 oz) sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp (3 oz) butter, cut into very small cubes
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 C milk ( I used 2%)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray a 2 to 2 1/2 quart baking dish (or 9" square pan) and set aside.
  2. Put the berries into a medium bowl and stir in the sugar and vanilla until all berries are coated. Set aside, but stir occasionally.
  3. For the topping: Combine the sugar, flour, and ginger into a small bowl. Blend the butter into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips or a fork, until the mixture forms crumbs. Don't leave big blobs of butter - make sure it's blended in. Put the topping bowl into the freezer until ready to use.
  4. For the cake: Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and use your fingertips to work it completely into the dry ingredients.
  5. In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs together, then stir them into the dry ingredients until just combined and there are no more pockets of flour (don't overmix).
  6. Spread the thick batter into the prepared dish. Drain the berries if there's excess liquid, and spoon the berries evenly on top of the batter. Remove the crumble topping from the freezer and scatter it evenly on top of the berries.
  7. Bake for 40-45 minutes. It will be hard to tell when to take it out because of the juicy berry/buttery crumble topping, but do not bake it over 45 minutes (or it will be dry).
  8. Remove from the oven and place the cake on a wire rack to cool. It's best after cooled. Store well-wrapped at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If refrigerating, microwave the pieces of cake for 20-25 seconds in the microwave to get best texture before serving.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I used less than a pound of berries (about 4 cups) because that's what I had.

Be sure and mix the butter into the crumb topping until it's crumbs.  I left some big blobs of butter and they made a couple of big puddles on top of the cake while it was cooking.

Next time I won't use the candied ginger in the topping.  I didn't particularly care for biting into the little ginger pieces. 

I put a cookie sheet on the rack underneath the cake while it was baking.  Mine didn't bubble over, but if you use the entire 1 lb. of berries, it might. 

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 259Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 398mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 3gSugar: 24gProtein: 6g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Julie Richardson (Vintage Cakes)
Category: Cakes

Sour Cream-Blueberry Crumb Cake

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It’s Spring! That means wonderful Spring fruits and vegetables. Tish Boyle’s The Cake Book is The Cake Slice Baker’s extra bake book this month and I found this Sour Cream-Blueberry Crumb Cake just in time to use the first blueberries of the season. Here you can see that incredible butter crumb topping:

I made a few changes, mainly because I wanted to use all my blueberries (about 1 1/4 cups of fairly small berries instead of the 1 cup called for). Also, I only had 3/4 cup of sour cream (instead of the 1 C called for), so used 1/4 cup of buttermilk to finish off the cup. Adding 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract just sounded right (and it was) and I added another tablespoon of sugar (which is needed). So there. Now you know what the original recipe should be, but I recommend making it with the changes!

This is a great crumb cake. I don’t know if it’s the buttermilk I added or the fact it was made in an 8-inch pan instead of a 9-inch pan, but the texture was ultra-moist and fairly dense – almost, but not quite as dense, as a bread pudding. 

I guess I was expecting a coffee cake texture, but this was very different.  The crumb topping was wonderful and added the needed sweetness and crunch. I can’t wait to have this tomorrow morning with coffee!

If you want a really good crumb cake and something to do with those Spring blueberries, try this Sour Cream-Blueberry Crumb Cake. I think it would be also be good with chopped fresh cherries (coming soon in a grocery store near you…) or raspberries. Be creative – add chopped pecans to the topping (wow, wild and crazy). You’ll enjoy this cake.

Sour Cream Blueberry Crumb Cake

Sour Cream-Blueberry Crumb Cake

Yield: 9 - 12 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Dense and moist, slightly sweet cake with a crunchy cinnamon/brown sugar/butter crumb topping.

Ingredients

  • Crumb Topping:
  • 1 C all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 C granulated sugar
  • 1/3 C firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 7 tbsp melted butter
  • The Cake:
  • 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 to 1 1/4 C fresh blueberries
  • 3/4 C sour cream
  • 1/4 C buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 10 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 C plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs

Instructions

  1. For the topping:  In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt.  Add the melted butter and stir until the butter is completely absorbed and the dry ingredients are moistened.  Set aside.
  2. For the cake:  Preheat the oven to 350°.  Spray the bottom and sides of an 8" or 9" square baking pan (take note that baking time will be longer with 8" pan).  Line with a 12-13" piece of parchment paper, letting it lap over two sides 1 to 2" so you can lift it out after cooled.  Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.  Set aside.
  4. Put the washed and dried blueberries into a small bowl and spoon one tablespoon of the flour mixture over them.  Toss to coat (this will prevent blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake).  
  5. Whisk the sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla and almond extracts together in a bowl.
  6. In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar granulated together until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  
  7. Turn the mixer to low and add one-third of the flour mixture, then one-half of the sour cream mixture.  Repeat with another third of flour and the rest of the sour cream mixture, then end with the last third of the flour.  Mix until just blended, then fold in the blueberries.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and top evenly with the crumb mixture.
  8. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes for a 9-inch pan, and 55 minutes for an 8-inch pan.  Cool in the pan on a rack until completely cooled, then lift out the cake onto a cake plate or stand.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

This recipe takes lots o' bowls, so make sure you have enough counter space!

Don't over mix the batter to keep the cake tender.

Start checking the baking cake at 35 minutes.  My 8-inch pan took exactly 55 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 329Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 257mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 5g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Tish Boy (The Cake Book)
Category: Cakes