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Taste of the Past: Blueberry Coffee Cake

A quick and delicious way to make the most of blueberry season.

October 21, 2010 at 2:23PM

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Here's a sure-fire way to make the most of blueberry season: With a coffee cake.

Not just any coffee cake, but the one my partner Robert and his siblings invariably turn to whenever they want to brighten up their mornings. And that's with their mother Catherine's coffee cake.

After watching Robert prepare this ultra-moist, easy-to-make treat more times than I can count, I decided to try it. But not without modifying it, just a bit, with the addition of just-picked blueberries. It's a good cake without the berries; it's a better one with them.

CATHERINE DAVID'S COFFEE CAKE

Serves 8 to 10.

For topping:

2 tbsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbsp. sugar

3/4 c. chopped pecans

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for pan

For cake:

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 c. sour cream

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. blueberries

Directions

To prepare topping: In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar and reserve.

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of a 9x9-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and reserve. In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat sour cream and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle cinnamon mixture evenly over top of batter. Sprinkle pecans evenly over top of cinnamon mixture. Drizzle melted butter across pecans. Score topping into batter by running a knife through the batter across the pan, about an inch apart, until entire cake has been scored. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven to a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.