Glory Days

Back in my college, my good friend Emme and I used to have a Monday morning tradition: coffee and coffee cake from Starbucks.

I have to admit, over the years I’ve had a hard time finding a recipe for coffee cake that was as good as Starbucks’. The were often too dry or too sweet. I had just about given up hope until last night I made a blueberry crumb cake. This is my new go-to coffee cake recipe-it’s incredibly moist with just the right amount of crumb topping. And while Emme now lives 2,00 miles away, I still smile and think of her every time I have coffee cake for breakfast. 

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Adapted from Tish Boyle’s Sour-Cream Blueberry Crumb Cake

Crumb Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Blueberry Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup plain yogurt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

Make the Topping

1. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until well blended. Add the melted butter to the mix, stirring until the butter is absorbed and the dry ingredients are uniformly moistened. Set aside.

Make the Cake

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan.

2. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.

3. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture until the berries are coated; set aside. In another small bowl, whisk together the yogurt and vanilla and set aside.

4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. At low speed, beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with yogurt in two additions. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with an offset spatula.

5. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter, breaking up any large lumps with your fingers.

6. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Place the cake on a wire rack and let cool completely.

7. Cut the cake and serve from the pan. Store at room temperature, covered with foil, for up to 3 days.