Description
Sweet aromas of homemade blueberry cake from Southern Germany fill kitchens with nostalgic comfort. Bakers craft delicate layers packed with fresh berries, creating a delightful dessert you’ll savor with each tender bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 kg blueberries (4 cups | 2.2 lb)
- 200 g all-purpose flour (7 oz | 1 ⅔ cups)
- 100 g all-purpose flour (¾ cup | 3.5 oz)
- 100 g soft cold butter (7 tbsps | 3.5 oz)
- 80 g soft cold butter (6 tbsps | 2.6 oz)
- 175 g sugar (½ cup + 6 tbsps | 6.2 oz)
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 egg (XL)
- 1 ½ tsps baking powder
- 50 g vanilla pudding powder (⅓ cup | 1.76 oz) or cornstarch + 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Blueberry Filling Creation: Rinse blueberries, then combine with sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a saucepan. Gently heat until simmering, cooking for 3 minutes while preserving berry integrity.
- Sauce Thickening: Whisk pudding powder or cornstarch with cold water, blending into berry mixture until the sauce transforms and slightly thickens. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Pastry Dough Preparation: Sift flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, adding sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Create a central well, crack an egg into the center, and distribute cubed butter around the edges.
- Dough Kneading: Knead the mixture until achieving a smooth, non-sticky consistency that holds together effortlessly.
- Pan Preparation: Line a springform pan with parchment paper, using more than half the dough to cover bottom and sides. Roll remaining dough into strips, pressing along pan edges to create a raised border. Perforate the base with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
- Filling Assembly: Pour cooled blueberry filling over the prepared shortcrust pastry.
- Crumble Topping: Mix flour, sugar, vanilla, and butter in a bowl, using fingertips to create a loose, sandy texture. Distribute evenly across the blueberry filling.
- Baking Process: Preheat oven to 182°C (360°F), positioning the rack in the middle. Bake for 40-45 minutes, shifting to a higher rack during the final 5 minutes to achieve a golden, crisp crumble topping.
- Cooling and Serving: Allow cake to cool completely within the pan to set the filling. Carefully transfer to a serving plate, dust with powdered sugar, and garnish with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
Notes
- Rinse Berries Carefully: Use a colander and cool water to clean blueberries thoroughly without damaging their delicate skin.
- Control Cooking Temperature: Simmer blueberries gently to preserve their shape and develop rich, intense flavor without breaking down the fruit.
- Master Dough Texture: Knead until the dough becomes smooth and doesn’t stick to fingers, indicating perfect consistency for a tender shortcrust pastry.
- Prevent Soggy Bottom: Create small fork perforations in the pastry base to allow steam escape and maintain a crisp crust while baking.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 282
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg