Happy Saturday!
What are you up to this weekend? We're ..
Photo Credit – Instagram – @madeleinelumley
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looking forward to a quiet weekend. After a few months of juggling work, the garden, pets, and too many bags of groceries; I'm heading out-of-town for a week away
I'm mostly excited to sleep in and catch up on some reading and writing. In between, I'll be trying out new exercise classes, going for walks in the sunshine, and looking for cooking inspiration in coffee shops and fun new restaurants. All the things that make me smile
As I packed this afternoon, I couldn't help but think how thankful I am to have such a great husband.
He's always championed my story, sure, but he's also championed our story. I'm forever taking on more than I should, while he quietly takes puppies for their walks, kisses ouchies, folds (yet another) load of laundry, and investigates what the kitties are up to in the middle of the night
When worry and anxiety catch up to me, he offers different perspectives, changes my mind, and kisses my forehead. He's a busy man pulled in a million different directions, but he always stops to look our way.
In fewer words, we're the luckiest
Whatever you're up to, I hope you have a good one!
Photo Credit: Instagram – @gemmacorrell
For the long 4th of July weekend ahead, a few links from around the web
Can you think back to the last time you were bored? Remember when you finished watching every Saturday morning cartoon and then had nothing to do (except read books) Before the Internet [via The New Yorker]
Related: How to raise a reader [via The New York Times]
The Cloud Egg Craze: Have you tried it? [via Food52]
Have you heard of Bon Appetit's rent week series? Guaranteed to make you smile [via Bon Appetit]
Are you a blogger or run an online business? Have you thought about all of the legal things you should have in place? Me either(!) That is until I listened to this podcast, got serious, and hired someone to help set it all up [via Food Blogger Pro Podcast and HashTag Legal]
The “Social Media Diet“ to help satiate those cravings to check Instagram and Twitter, and help us focus on other offline things(!) [via The Atlantic]
A really great photo editing app for our phones [via A Color Story]
The 100 Greatest Home Cooks of All Time [via Epicurious]
I love this so much Our mothers as we never saw them [via The New York Times]
My latest afternoon pick-me-up [via Mighty Leaf]
Latest podcasts on repeat? Tim Ferriss interviews Dom D'Agostino about the power of a ketogenic diet (among other health-related topics) Part I .. Part II .. Part III [via The Tim Ferriss Show]
The kind gesture that helps Elizabeth Gilbert find the light on her worst days [via Oprah.com]
My new favorite store for all things linen (and also the perfect sweatshirt material!) [via Etsy – NotPerfectLinen]
‘Tis the season for garage sales, and a few weeks ago I stumbled across a true gem during my afternoon walk
Usually, I don't stop, but the weather was hot, and I was terribly thirsty. As the little girl manning the lemonade stand filled the red plastic cup, I did my best to make the dollar retrieved from my shoe look presentable. “Extra ice, please. Oh, Sweetie, they look so good, but trust me on this; I should really skip the Scotcharoo”
(One day you'll understand)
That's when I spied them. Behold a large stack of old Gourmet magazines(!)
Every time I come across vintage church cookbooks, or back issues of a classic, I simply can't resist. Casually, so as not to tip my hand, I thumbed through the issue on the top of the stack, July 1975. A dreamy lake-side picnic on the cover and it originally cost seventy-five cents. On page three, an old-fashioned blueberry coffee cake submitted by a reader.
It had my full attention
A simple cake really, sweetened with blueberries, molasses, and quite a bit of sugar. The resulting cake was rustic and tender, punctuated with lots of tiny pockets of oozy berry flesh
The kind of everyday cake my grandmother always had on her kitchen counter when I was a kid. A cake that feels right to have around. The kind that gifts beautifully too if you're taking food to a friend. It's a snack to be shared no matter how you look at it
When I realized all of the sugar simply wouldn't do, I searched my brain, “Now where did I see that recipe?” Heidi Swanson? No. Deb Perelman? Nope. Ina Garden? Hummm ..
Kim Boyce? That's the one
This cake has a tight crumb, almost dense in the most charming of coffee cake ways. A cake that requires you to take small bites between sips of coffee. The kind of everyday sort of cake I like to have in my back pocket for cooking and non-cooking days alike
I brought it to a friend's house a few weeks ago as our contribution toward dessert, although it's truly wonderful, no matter the time of day. It was topped with some loosely whipped cream and extra berries because if you're going to have cake, you must really have cake
A few notes about the recipe:
The batter can be made the night before and kept in the fridge until it's ready to be baked in the morning. It will need a few more minutes in the oven if it goes in cold
On the berry front, use the sweetest berries you can get your hands on. If you come across great berries, stock up. A lot of times I'll buy fresh berries at the Farmer's Market or Berry Patch, setting aside some to eat, and freezing the rest (to use in a cake like this)
Change the fruit or even try replacing some of the yogurt with mashed banana if you're avoiding daily. It's a great base to work with
I added a bit of fresh thyme and rosemary from the pots on our kitchen's windowsill. Just a hint to play off the berries, and perfume the cake (barely a whisper)
Enjoy!
xoxo
~ Adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce
Summer Berry Crumble Cake
Ingredients
- Streusel Topping
- ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or spelt flour)
- ½ cup spelt flour
- 3 Tbsp natural sugar (such as Sugar in the Raw or turbinado)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar (light or dark)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp of ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp fine grain sea salt
- 3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 egg (large or XL), whisked
- Crumble Cake
- 1 ¼ cups spelt flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup natural sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup milk (or any nut milk will also be great)
- ½ cup yogurt (plain or Greek)
- 4 yolks from large or XL eggs
- 1 vanilla bean split or 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F
- Generously butter a 2 ½ quart baking dish (or the equivalent). Here, I used a 12" cast iron pan)
- Streusel Topping
- In a large bowl, sift together the flours, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt
- Add the butter cubes and use your fingers to rub them into the mix until it resembles the texture of cornmeal. Using a spatula, incorporate the whisked egg into the dough.
- Using your hands, clump pieces of the dough together until small clumps of topping have formed. (Your clumps should be roughly the size of hazelnuts, with finer crumbs also in the mix)
- Set the topping aside
- Crumble Cake
- Sift the crumble cake's dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add the softened butter and blend over medium speed until it is just incorporated
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the milk, yogurt, egg yolks, vanilla extract (or seeds scraped from the vanilla bean). Add the milk/yogurt mix to the mixing bowl and paddle on low until the batter is smooth.
- Spread half of the batter in your baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 ½ - 2 cups of the berries
- Add the second layer of batter and top with the rest of the blueberries. Sprinkle the streusel over the top
- Bake the crumble cake for ~ 55- 65 minutes, rotating halfway through, until it’s lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the baking dish before serving
72 Comments
Aw you completely deserve a weekend away, go you. I like that you and your husband have such a beautiful relationship, it really warms my heart. Plus this crumble looks divine x
That’s so great that you have such a loving and supporting husband. I know that makes a world of difference in all different issues. I do think our partners can bring balance to us that we desperately need. Thanks for all the interesting links. I am definitely going to have to look into the one about getting all of the legal stuff done for my blog. I know that it needs to get done and I have just kind of been delaying on all of that. As far as the recipe it does look amazing as always. I love sweet fresh fruit and I rarely freeze it, but usually just to keep it before it spoils. Not to think about saving it on a sweet cake like this one. I will have to think about that next time.
We grow our own wheat so always looking for recipes. Like you use raw sugar. Being able to make part of the recipe the night before helps.
You’re so lucky to have found a man who can uplift your spirit. He may be busy but he spends some time to make up your day and reduce anxieties and worries. Social media diet is a new term for me. I’ll check out acolorstory now!
My husband and I discussed a weekend getaway, but nothing became concrete. Instead, we’ve been working on wedding DIY projects. Not so relaxing over here!
Oh my goodness. That looks delicious. I love a great tasting dessert and really enjoy anything with blueberries in it. I wonder how it would taste with mashed bananas. My mouth is watering right now. OH my!
I was thinking making pie today as I’ve been collecting berries. To celebrate a time for a change- I am making this berry crumble today to share with neighbors. On a side – I have been dehydrating fruit like crazy all summer – what a great snack!
I hope you have a lovely time away, I too am treating myself to a little getaway for my birthday and hoping to relax through and through
Oh man, I just made this cake and it is absolutely amazing! I did add a pinch of nutmeg and sprinkled about a quarter cup of walnuts on the top along with the sugar. It was perfect. Thanks for the recipe.
That sounds like my favorite kind of weekend away. One that is relaxing and lets you catch up on needed things!
What a great cake! Made it two days ago and it’s almost all gone! and we’re only two at home…k xx
Your husband sounds a lot like mine. You sound much like myself. Biting off more than I can chew seems to be normal for me in these past years. I am lucky that our kids are no longer living at home so it isn’t so tough on him as it would be if we had kids still in the house.
I love that he is so great to you and your family! I hope you are able to enjoy your weekend away and get some reading done. Sometimes we have to take care of ourselves in order to take care of others.
I’ve always been a big fan of crumble cake, one of my all time favorites. I enjoy long relaxing quiet weekends, they are the best.
By the way you describe your husband, I can tell that you love him that much and he loves you just the same because he lets you do whatever you please. I also love quiet weekends with nothing to do and just call for food delivery. Oooh about that crumble cake, I like to eat the crunchy parts, the one that touched the sides of the pan :p
Thank so much for this recipe Ali, its the perfect summer cake (and made the whole house smell lovely). Pairing it with a nice cup of tea will make a wonderful weekend breakfast.
I have a lot of anxiety too so having a good support system, especially at home is amazing! I love treats and love a good apple crumble, so this recipe is appealing to me. Enjoy your break.
Sheri
Well, I’ve had a rough couple of weeks, but this weekend was better. The kids (22,19) and I were scheduled to go to Kings Island and the Cincinnati Zoo over the weekend, but my son decided to stay home with the new puppy (we just couldn’t be without a dog after losing Toby…it’s just too quiet and lonely). Molly and I had fun at both places, but I do miss Kyle when he likes to stay home. He’s at the age where friends and dogs take preference over mom and sister! At least I know he is responsible! Hope you have a great week 🙂
I can’t resist old cookbooks either, especially vintage church cookbooks and magazines. I’m loving the tight crumb of your berry crumble cake – it’s my favorite part of a coffee cake.
I’ve just pinned this for later as I love summer berries! It looks absolutely delicious, and I think my whole family would love to try a piece of this crumble cake 🙂
Louise x
This looks fantastic. Personally I’ve never been a fan of crumb cakes because they’re so messy (hey, I like to eat my pie while walking around at a party), but I might have to try making one now.
Sounds like your husband is the perfect complement to you! Lucky you! We’re celebrating Canada Day weekend here in Canada so lots of celebrations and fireworks! Enjoy your week’s vacation. This is a different spin on blueberry crumble. I will make it when the wild blueberries are in season in a few weeks time.
Berry Crumble cake? Hmm sounds yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Btw, you’re lucky for having a supportive husband.
My husband is my best friend. He understands me better than just about anybody I know. I don’t know what I would do if I do not have him.
Wanna see how that taste. But of course need to do the baking, argh. Good and lucky you, you have a very sweet and loving husband.
I like recipes like this, they wow you. Then other think I can really throw down in the kitchen. I would have a serving with some hot tea.
Your husband sounds like a keeper. You are lucky to have such as supportive partner.
We do not have a lot of plans for the holiday. Quite time at home before my son leaves for Camp for a week.
I love your recipe. Everyone at home loves pie, so I might have to try this. I wonder if mixing berries would be as good and will not change the flavor.
That is great you have such a sweet husband and that you truly appreciate him too! I love being married and it is great to have my favorite person hanging around and going through life with me! I hope you have a great July 4th!
You definitely deserve a holiday weekend, and your husband sounds amazing. This pie looks delicious, I’m a huge fan of anything berry in the summer. Yummm. Happy 4th
I love a good crumble, it’s one of my favorite desserts. Garage sale season is the best in the summer, you never know what you’ll find.
Your husband sounds like mine and if he is, then yes, I wholeheartedly agree on how lucky we are. I run around in circles and he is like the pivot that stops me spinning away! I have never actually heard of a crumble cake before, it looks divine.
Summer is one of the best times, but it can also be the most hectic! I love that you posted “How to raise a reader”. I am raising to readers and have posted way to encourage kids to read. Garage Sales are amazing! I love all of the things you can find there!
Having a great support system is so important. I love that my husband always helps me get over things that may be causing stress or anxiety. This crumble cake reminds me of one my mom used to make when I was a kid.
Hi, this cake was a hit at my office..! 🙂 Although I still have to work at making it look as good as you do!
How sweet that your husband has always championed your story. He certainly sounds like a real catch.
I hope you had a good weekend, ours was pretty quiet, it was nice to do nothing though.
Your crumble looks absolutely delicious, the perfect summer recipe.
I wish I could just take off for a week and relax without any worry. It seems there is never enough time in day to do all we need but it is all about time management. I love making old recipe because they taste so much better to me. My grandmother wrote all her old recipes down on cards and I would rather make them than look in an old cookbook. This Berry crumble cake does sound good and I might just have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and recipe.
Your husband sounds amazing! Having a supportive partner is really helpful in life. And this recipe sounds amazing – perfect for summer!
I absolutely love crumble cakes – really, crumbles in general. I think these recipes are the best for summer potlucks. Leave the heavy cakes and cookies for fall and winter. 🙂
Getaways are always nice! I don’t have as much on my plate as you probably do but this weekend my dad took me away from my busy schedule to have some long over due daddy/daughter time! Vacations are great and spending time with those you love is even better! I hope you have an amazing trip and remember to relax!
Really sweet of you to talk about your husband in such an adoring way – he sounds really amazing and you’re both lucky to have each other! I’ve been hearing all about the Color Story app and I’m really thinking of getting it now. I’m a sucker for a good picture and I love the results that this app could give!
I totally understand needed a weekend to just relax. I’m about to put my feet up and enjoy the holiday. However, I do plan on watching some fireworks and binge watching a few of my favorite tv shows. Well, that’s right after I edit a few pictures. 🙂
I hope that you enjoy your vacation away and can rest and relax. It is so important and rewarding to have a spouse that is supportive and caring. My husband is my number one fan and I don’t know what I would do without him.
What a wonderful husband you have! Glad to see you are heading out of town for a week, I think we all need to do that once in a while. Such a blessing to have such a wonderful relationship like you and your husband, I know my husband is my best friend and I love spending time with him.! That berry crumble cake looks so delicious, I just might give this one a try since we have a party this coming weekend.
My great grandmother always had cakes like this on hand too. Thanks for that sweet reminder! I definitely want to work this recipe into my bake rotation!
We are ready for a quiet weekend too. It won’t happen for a few more weekends though. At the end of the month we will be heading to our family cabin. Sweet peacefulness in the Colorado mountains. Cannot wait!! That recipe looks perfect for a weekend at our cabin. Might have to give it a try.
Aw your husband sounds lovely! And this cake looks blimmin delish!
This is perfect! I have a bunch of strawberries left over from the farmer’s market, and I’ve been looking for something delicious to do with them 🙂
Oh that’s so sweet what you said about your husband! Made me think of mine 🙂 Women who have partners that are caring and there for them in all the struggles and goods of life, such a bliss! I read what you have planned for your trip and I couldn’t but think that that is too much. Totally makes sense when you say that you’re “forever taking on more than [you] should”. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy it!
That blueberry crumble looks delicious. Although I have to admit that I do not like blueberries but everyone else in the family does. If I was to make this recipe, I would substitute the blueberries for strawberries. Sometimes cooking or baking can reduce stress levels and help you to relax! I know that it works for me as nothing is more satisfying than creating something that everyone can enjoy.
First of all, you really have a good husband who’s always there to help you and look after the kitties! Though I’m not so much into cooking, I really liked this recipe. And, I love strawberries so need requirement of substitution!
I have always enjoyed crumbled cakes with vanilla ice-cream! I bet this cake would be yummy with cold ice-cream. Your recipe looks easy to follow and ingredients are readily available in my pantry. Blueberries are also available in plenty here and I’m quite tempted to try this out.
A loving hubby is so important ? I must mention your pics as they are really really great! I also use ColorStory for mine but monstly on instagram. Now I need to find the sweetest berries and try your recipe ?
Oh man I know what you mean. I love those vintage church or organization cookbooks. I can’t pass them up. I have quite a few from my grandmas and my mom. I love finding strange recipes and trying them out.
I would love to try making this today, I have a big pack of blueberries in my refrigerator. I am wondering if I can use regular flowr to substitute wheat flour?
I needed a great everyday cake recipe and this one is certainly it! I love that you can make the dough the night before. In the Hamptons, we are blessed with a great amount of fresh fruit, so I know exactly what I am thinking for a pie. Oh, and I love the Color Story app for editing photos, I use it regularly for Instagram.
I have a hard time passing up a good vintage cookbook or cooking magazine. I also have a hard time passing up lemonade stands run by sweet kids enjoying the innocence of youth. Now I simply must have some crumbly cake!
Your husband sounds like a diamond! You’re so lucky to have someone like that, looking out for you and taking away the stresses of everyday life. Enjoy your week away x
Having a loving and supportive Husband makes all the difference, I’m lucky with mine too! Enjoy your week away from everything! That crumble looks incredible… looks like the one my Grandma used to make for Sunday lunches!
Ellie
I hear ya! I am constantly taking on too many extra things only to have to ask for help. My husband rescues me often!
I hope you enjoy your 4th of July getaway. We have gone out of town as well…. but the working never ends does it.lol
And you know where my favorite place is to get old cookbooks? The antique stores. A couple of booths usually have a nice stash of old cookbooks and my favorites are the ones from church communities where everyone chips in and shares their favorite recipe.
Thank you for adding the ingredients I think this will soon become one of my favourite dishes! It was lovely to read about your relationship with your husband it sounds like you’re both very lucky to have each other- quite inspirational:)
My daughter would love to bake this cake with me, we are often cooking up little desserts in the kitchen together. Your husband sounds like a wonderful man, I wish my partner would fold the washing more! Also that is an interesting touch adding the thyme and rosemary- something I haven’t tried with sweet dishes before.
You should put out a cookbook, if you already have one and I am just not finding it, please link it to me! Your recipes are curated from real life passion and experience and that is what makes them taste so much better.
My kids love blueberries, and I recently started a cast iron skillet craze. I can not wait to dive into all the recipes and see what cooks up.
Aw! Hoe sweet does your marriage sound? Your husband seems ace!
I love these pictures!!! I’m not a fan of berries or pies and never have been, but something about the texture of these photos has made me very curious about trying. I love how this recipe was tied into your life and experiences, like the crumble cake is an intrinsic part of you! Great post, thanks for sharing!
Love the story between you and your husband. Hoping one day mine can be a little more supportive when i need him. This crumble also looks heavenly.
Oh my! This made me hungry just by looking at the pics! When I was a kid, my mom always had a fresh coffee cake waiting for us on the kitchen counter. In the summer, she always added berries straight from the garden. Toasted with a drizzle of honey? Pure heaven. x
Awww… I love how you talk about your hubbyy. It’s so important to have a supporter by one’s side. About the recipe, I plan to start baking and GOOD cooking when I’ll have a house and a big kitchen and kids.. 😛 Because I’ll have more time for that.
Anna from Luxembourg
Aw, Your husband is super supportive. Not many people find that. I love how the Berry Crumble cake came out. There’s something about the word crumble and the word cake together that really makes my mouth water!
Last weekend was a great one, sadly last week was not. But last weekend I went away, my first adult/mummy getaway since having my daughter. Sometimes a little me time is all you need.
First off.. love love love those doodles! Especially the one with the cats. Second, I love how your camera is able to capture the tiny little sugar crystals on the top of the crumble. And third, I’m totally making this as soon as I get home today!! Looks delicious and I have all the ingredients!
Awesome that you have someone so caring! You deserve everything you receive in life!
I love exploring new coffee shops. My husband and I have recently retired and we’re staying on a tiny island off the coast of Belize for a few months. I was shocked to find they have four coffee shops here. I guess we aren’t the only ones who love them!