Blueberry Spice Breakfast Cake

Is summer officially over?  According to the almanac, we still have a few short days left.  Fall officially takes over this Friday.  But in this territory, fall has already crashed our party with a quick and sudden bang.  One 20 degree drop in as many hours, and that’s the way it’s going to be from here on out… temps will fall without abandon, and we’ll all look insane in our attempts to bravely sit through the kids’ soccer games with our chattering teeth and blue lips.

Speaking of blue, I’m rebelling against nature with my little post on blueberries 🙂  They’re still plentiful and plump at the supermarkets, albeit imported.  No matter, because they are delicious and still available.

Plump, juicy blueberries are the feature in this scrumptious breakfast cake.  Add brown sugar and fall spices, and you can’t go wrong with this hearty morning treat.

Auntie Polly is the one to thank for this yummy blueberry breakfast cake.  Auntie Polly isn’t actually my aunt or my cousin or even related to me… but my boys call her Auntie.  In our culture, all of mommy’s friends are fondly referred to as Aunties.  All of daddy’s friends are proudly titled Uncles.  I love the casual familiarity of those titles.  Auntie Polly is actually a very dear friend of mine, going way back to those carefree days of BK life (remember, Before Kids?)

Auntie Polly has a reputation for being super creative, and her artistic designs are amazing.  She is also known to bake up some tasty treats, and this recipe is no different.  Blueberry spice breakfast cake is chock full of berries, making every bite moist and richly satisfying.  I added a bit of oatmeal and flax into this yummy cake, and subbed whole yogurt for the sour cream (do you see a trend here?)   I will feel extremely good about serving something called “cake” at 9am 🙂

This blueberry spice breakfast cake isn’t one of those light, fluffy varieties.  I enjoy light and fluffy also, but there are times I prefer something more substantial, especially to start my day.  This cake is beautifully moist, tender, and dense all at the same time.  I suppose that’s why it’s a breakfast cake and not a dessert.  Though I’d absolutely eat it for dessert.

Why, oh why, do I insist on making myself hungry by writing about and staring at yummy edibles at night?  The exact time we’re taught not to even think about ingesting a morsel of anything.  At least I usually know what I’m having for breakfast the following day!

Get your sweet blueberries before they’re gone!

RECIPE (makes one 9 or 10 in round)

INGREDIENTS

Cake
1/2 cup or 1 stick softened (not melted) butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 TB vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temp
2/3 cup whole plain yogurt
1 1/2 cup flour, divided
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 TB ground flaxmeal, optional
1 3/4 cup fresh blueberries (if you must use frozen, do not thaw)

Topping
6 T chilled butter
3 T sugar
3 T brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Other
Coarse sugar, such as Turbinado, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Mix topping ingredients together until crumbly.  Set aside in fridge.

Place oven rack to lower middle and preheat to 350F.  Grease a 9 or 10 inch Springform pan.

Use a mixer to cream butter and sugar until fluffy and very pale yellow.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and eggs.  Mix together until smooth.  Add the yogurt and mix well.  Add flour, reserving 2 TB  set aside.  Add baking soda, salt, and flax meal.  Mix batter until smooth.  Carefully toss blueberries with the 2 TB reserved flour.  Gently fold berries into the batter.

Transfer batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.  Sprinkle chilled topping evenly over cake.  Place a large pan under Springform pan to catch drippings.  Bake for about 45 minutes if using 10 inch pan.  If using a 9 inch, you may need a couple more minutes bake time.  Bake just until toothpick comes out with a few chewy crumbs still stuck to it.  Remove cake and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar on top.  Cool on wire rack.  Cake can be made the night before and kept in the pan, covered with foil, until ready to serve.  To serve warm, reheat at 300F for about 12 minutes.  Remove sides of Springform pan and serve in wedges.

Source:  Chew Out Loud, inspired by my friend Polly