Blueberry Crumb Cake
Before BabyCakes NYC, my dreams were limited to potential hairstyles, sarcastic comebacks, and still more prospective hairstyles. Nowadays, I dream almost exclusively of baked goods. One restless night, after being awakened by images of a fluffy blueberry cake topped with spiced crumbs and a rich vanilla sauce, I sprinted to the bakery to begin testing. I encountered a few setbacks, but once I found out that the crumb cooks faster than the base and must be added halfway through baking, my dream came true. Please don’t trust your instincts with this one; the window for applying the crumb is small. Add it too soon and your crumb topping will burn, too late and it will be soggy. Use those timers, people!
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 slices
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9 × 3-inch round cake pan with a circle of parchment paper and coat lightly with oil.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, combine the vanilla crumb base with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
Step 3
In a second medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Add 1/4 cup oil and the agave nectar, rice milk, and vanilla and lemon extracts to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the blueberries just until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Step 4
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and spoon the prepared crumb topping over the cake, gently patting it down. Return the pan to the oven and bake the cake for an additional 15 minutes. The finished crumb topping will be slightly crisp to the touch, and the cake will be firm.
Step 5
Let the cake stand for 20 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge. Cover the top of the pan with a cutting board and flip. Carefully lift the pan away and re-invert the cake onto a serving plate.
Step 6
Pour the vanilla sauce into a squeeze bottle and drizzle it evenly over the top of the cake. Store the cake at room temperature for up to 3 days.
