Name: Blueberry Crumble Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8-12 slices
Cuisine: Breakfast
Ingredients: 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed; 1/4 cup granulated sugar (I use all natural cane sugar); 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I use unbleached flour); 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter (no substitutions), room temp; 2 cups all-purpose flour (I like unbleached); 3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use natural, unbleached, cane sugar); 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup butter, room temp (I use salted, if unsalted, add 1 teaspoon salt); 3/4 cup milk (I use whole milk); 1 egg (room temp if possible); 2 cups fresh* blueberries (washed and patted dry, any stems removed); 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2-3 Tablespoons milk or cream; *Frozen blueberries may be used, if possible thaw and drain, toss gently in a couple tablespoons of flour to coat, that will help the blueberries to not bleed as much.

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This Blueberry Crumble Cake is like a warm hug from a dear friend, well maybe not a hug, because I know that crumble cakes are not able to hug, but I bet you might just receive one from human arms when they taste this cake! Perfect for a lazy weekend, Mother’s Day, Easter or any special brunch.

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This deliciously moist coffee cake is studded with fresh (or formerly frozen) blueberries, topped with a brown sugar crumble, then drizzled with a creamy vanilla glaze that hardens as it cools giving the cake the perfect crunch/crisp to chewy/moist ratio. Dreamy!!

I was reminded of this coffee cake when I was out in California with a group of girlfriends this past weekend, our hostess served us a similar coffee cake for breakfast on Saturday and it was sublime. While her’s didn’t have blueberries in it, the “hug” was the same.

I’ve been friends with these women since we’ve been girls! When women get together with their longtime friends, they turn back into those same gangly, awkward little girls (I’m speaking for myself here). Oh my goodness, we laughed, shared, cried, giggled, listened, reminisced, dreamt, prayed with and encouraged one another. The security of being with friends who really know YOU, your history, and your family is truly priceless.

Last time together | 1987 *Love the hair! L-R | Kathi (aka me), Julie, Lisa, Shawn, & Dawn

Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and my boys, with every fiber of my being — however; in my humble opinion we were all made for relationship and sometimes we need the understanding, empathy and support of another woman. I would shrivel up without my family and girlfriends.

Blueberry Crumble Cake | www.thefreshcooky.com #blueberries #blueberrycoffeecake #coffeecake

Circa 1979-ish | Kathi (me) & Julie

I was privileged to have grown up in the late 70’s and early 80’s with these girls in a unique situation that threw us together; all living on the same property with our families. It was the best thing that could have happened to us during those tough adolescent years, we truly became sisters! I won’t go into detail, because in all honesty unless you lived it I’m not sure you would understand, not even our spouses fully understand it. In just a few short years, our time together created a bond that wasn’t easily broken, we might have moved away, made new friends, raised our own families and yet this experience has drawn us back together. And I’m so glad it did.

Rocking the late 70’s hair and fashion. Kathi (me) and Dawn | circa 1979

THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDSHIP

It’s been 40 years since we first met as young girls, while we’ve seen each other at weddings and such, we haven’t all been together in 31 years, BUT you’d have thought we saw each other a month ago. We picked up right where we left off! This time together brought us back to the core of our friendship and I am so very grateful for these women; I have a feeling that we won’t go nearly as long as we did before seeing each other again.

To be have a friend, one must BE a friend; give of yourself, even when you don’t have much to give.
Extend, risk and humble yourself to the beauty of authentic, real friendship.
Where truth can be told, in love; where you can see the good, the beauty, and even help heal deep wounds. Through our vulnerability with one another we can encourage, hold up,
and most especially pray for and with one another.

The older I get the more I realize the importance of these times with girlfriends who really know and love you, just as you are. Friends who see through the extra pounds and wrinkles, to the sweet, kind, caring and vulnerable heart of that young girl that still lies somewhere beneath layers of now crepe-y skin; reminding you of the treasure you are to this world.

L-R | (BR) Lisa, Shawn, Kathi (me) | (FR) Dawn, Julie

This is a tribute to my dear, life-long, forever friends; my sisters-in-Christ — Dawn, Julie, Lisa and Shawn; what we have, let’s not let go of, it’s too precious to put off for long; let’s use the God-given gift of friendship to stay in one another’s lives, encouraging one another, creating more memories together. I treasured our time together this past weekend and look forward to doing it again — soon!

Lisa, Me, Julie, Shawn, Dawn | Oh what I made them go through to get this picture

And so I encourage YOU my dear reader, to reach out to others; whether it’s re-kindling a friendship from long ago, making a new friend, or simply risking going deeper in a current friendship; don’t hesitate, jump in with your whole heart! You won’t regret it!

“As iron sharpens iron, so one (wo)man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:17

I’m getting all emotional just writing this, so on to our Blueberry Crumble Cake!

I actually made this Blueberry Crumble Cake a month or so back for my other treasured group of girlfriends that are in the same Bible Study (I am so very rich in friendships). It was a big hit, I hope you’ll give it a try!

First things first, wash your blueberries and let sit on paper towels to dry, if fresh.

If frozen, remove from freezer and allow to thaw, if you totally spaced thawing, have no fear, you may just need to bake a little longer, but be sure to coat them in flour, see below.

Make your Crumb Topping

In a medium-large mixing bowl, combine your brown sugar, cane sugar, flour and cinnamon using a fork or mixer.

Add in your softened butter* and mix well, using your fingers if necessary, until the mixture starts to stick together into large clumps/crumbs. It should hold together when pressed. I like to use my mixer, it takes a bit, but I feel like the butter is better distributed in the long run. But you can always just use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix.

REAL BUTTER* use the real deal. No substitutes. If it’s soft right from the fridge, it’s not real butter, but has a higher water and/or oil content which can affect how the cake and especially the crumb topping bakes. Quick soften your butter if needed by microwaving for 6-12 seconds.

Look at those bodacious, beautiful, buttery crumbs!

BAKERS TIP | Place crumb topping in fridge while making the cake batter, this will firm up the butter once again, so your crumb topping doesn’t melt into your cake while baking.

How to Make Blueberry Crumble Cake

In a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add your all purpose flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter and baking powder and salt. I’ve made it both ways, with putting all of your dry ingredients first, then your butter, then your liquids and the end batter was the same, so whatever works best for you.

Mix it on low, until combined, careful not to over mix, might even be a few lumps. It’ll be fairly thick, don’t worry.

Gently fold your blueberries into the batter, no need to coat them in flour if you are using fresh.

FROZEN BERRIES | Before folding in frozen blueberries, gently toss to coat in a couple tablespoons of flour. This will help them not bleed as much, but never fear, while it might make your cake purple, it’ll still taste terrific!

Below are two pictures, one of frozen (flour coated) blueberries and the other of fresh.

Fresh berries going into the batter…

Lightly grease a 9″ springform pan or a 9″ deep square pan if you don’t have a springform. If desired for easier removal from pan, cut out a 9″ round (or square) circle of parchment, lightly spray with oil and place in bottom of pan.

I’ve also made this splitting the batter into two smaller 6″ springform pans and it worked beautifully.

The first picture below is using frozen berries, so I did have some “bleeding” and the second picture is using fresh berries. Both cakes turned out delicious!! One was just more purple-y than the other.

BAKING PAN OPTIONS

Substitute a deep 9″ square or round pan.
Or use an 8″ springform pan, increasing baking time by 10 minutes or more.
Or a 10″ springform (reduce bake time by 10 minutes or so).
Split batter between 2 smaller pans, such as 2 – 6″ springform pans. Bake 30-40 minutes, putting foil on top if gets too brown. Freeze one for later.

Crumble the crumb topping evenly over the top of the cake batter, making some larger chunks and some smaller.

Pop it in your preheated 375º oven and bake it for 50-65 minutes until the top is golden and the center is cooked. If it starts getting too brown on top but isn’t done, gently lay a piece of foil over the top.

For some reason I find it hard to tell when a crumb topped cake is finished baking, even when I stick the toothpick in the center, it’ll appear to be done, so if yours comes out a bit gooey in the middle, give yourself grace and enjoy the cake, because it’s still delicious!

Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes in pan before pouring the vanilla glaze (see recipe) over the top of the warm cake.

Gently run a butter knife around the edge of the pan, to loosen and open the cuff of the springform pan. Serve warm (my favorite) or cooled completely.

Store in fridge — good up to about a week, if it lasts that long. Warm in microwave for a few seconds before devouring.

Not a blueberry fan? Substitute the same amount of fresh or frozen berries or even rhubarb!

strawberries (sliced)
blackberries
raspberries

MORE DELICIOUS BRUNCH RECIPES

Dutch Oven Pancake | Overnight Cinnamon French Toast
Mock Eggs Benedict | Gluten-Free Coffee Cake

Even if you aren’t Gluten Free, you will love this coffee cake.
This Starbucks Copycat Coffee Cake is super easy and you can make it ahead of time.
And you can never have too many Cinnamon Rolls in your life can you?

This recipe is adapted from Cookies & Cups.

I’M SHARING THIS RECIPE AND OTHERS ON THESE FUN LINK PARTIES — JOIN ME!
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The printable recipe is below. I’d love for you to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. And don’t forget to comment below as well as give this a star rating!

Yield: 8-12 slices