This coffee cake is decadent with its wealth of fruit and its crunchy topping. You can use almost any fruit in it. Feel free to experiment with strawberries, pears, nectarines, peaches, or blackberries instead of the apples and blueberries. Come up with your own favorite combinations. And, no mixer required to make this cake!
Also, a note about butter. I prefer to use European-style butter in all of my baking. It contains less water and more butter fat than regular butter. I think it yields a richer flavor and a moister texture (and flakier pie crusts).
Ingredients
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unrefined or white sugar
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Zest from 1 large Meyer lemon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups apples, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups blueberries
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick (2 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped almonds
You will also need:
9-inch springform pan
2 large bowls
Whisk
1 medium bowl
Cake tester
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (about 175 degrees C).
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Add a tablespoon of flour to the pan and shake it to coat the sides and bottom. Discard the excess flour.
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in the sour cream, sea salt and vanilla. Add the egg and whisk to combine.
In a separate large bowl, combine the baking soda, baking powder, lemon zest and flours. Mix well. Add the chopped apples and blueberries and toss to coat the fruit with the flour mixture. Add this to the butter mixture in the other large bowl. Stir just to combine. Pour this mixture into the prepared springform pan.
Make the topping by combining the remaining brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon and chopped almonds. Sprinkle on top of the cake batter.
Bake for approximately 1 hour. Begin testing at 45 minutes, as ovens can cook a little differently. The top might be slightly caved in, but the cake will be done when the tester comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for five minutes. Run a sharp knife around the inside rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Open the springform latch and let the cake continue to cool for at least 15 minutes.
Slice the cake just before serving. Serves 8.
