Blueberry cake with streusel topping

This was the first time I had baked a cake entirely by myself and I got a lot of requests for this recipe. It is actually quite a simple cake, you don’t have to do much but it still tastes delicious. If you don’t have blueberries :(, you can substitute it with raspberries, blackberries, apples, black currants or other fresh fruits but make sure the fruit is not too gooey. The texture of the cake must be soft but not like a sponge cake; it is denser than that. The crispy streusel topping adds a crunch in every bite and the melted blueberries create a burst of flavour. The cake goes best with tea, coffee or vanilla ice cream and makes for a filling evening snack. Or midnight snack nom nom nom.

Prep time: 20 min Baking time: 40-50 min Serves: 10-15 (slices)

Ingredients:

For cake:
All purpose flour/Maida: 1 cup
Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
Salt: A tiny pinch (if unsalted butter not available, skip this)
Unsalted butter (room temperature): 1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons (see previous point)
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Egg: 1
Vanilla essence/extract: 1/2 teaspoon
Milk: 1/3 cup
Fresh blueberries: 1 cup (may use frozen or canned)

For streusel topping:
All purpose flour/Maida: 1/3 cup
Sugar: 1/3 cup
Butter (cold): 1/4 cup

Method:
1) Before you start making the cake batter, keep the streusel topping ready. In a plate or bowl, mix flour and sugar. Add the butter with a fork (or use hands) till it feels like uneven, coarse crumbs. Set aside.
2) Now we start with the cake. Mix flour, baking powder and salt (if using unsalted butter). Set aside.
3) Use a mixer or your super hands to beat the butter until smooth. Add sugar and keep beating until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla essence and BEAT IT!!!
4) To this, add the flour mixture (point number 2) and milk. Alternate between the two when you add them; it will prevent lumps and will be easier to mix everything.
5) Again BEAT IT!!! (At this point, I think of all the people who annoy me, this boosts my whisking or beating power). If it looks creamy and devoid of lumps, it’s done. (Keep your fingers away, don’t lick, yet. Patience).
6) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
7) Take an 8 x 8 inch square or round cake pan and rub some butter all over it. If you don’t have an 8-inch pan, get one which is roughly the same size or do the math and modify the quantity of the ingredients accordingly.
8) Spread the batter on the pan, use a spatula or anything flat to make it smooth.
9) Arrange the blueberries on top (some may sink, that’s ok; see photo no. 1). Then sprinkle the streusel topping so that the top is covered and there is a layer of streusel (see photo no. 2).
10) Put inside the oven and bake for 40 – 50 minutes.
11) You can pass the time now by devouring leftover cake batter or cleaning the kitchen counter. 40 minutes later, do the toothpick or fork test by inserting it in the centre of the cake. It if comes out clean, it’s done. Try to recognise smells, your olfactory sense will almost always tell you if the food is cooked or overcooked before you even taste it.
12) Take it out from the oven and cool it on a wire rack or just keep it outside. Don’t take it out of the pan just yet. After a few minutes, you can serve it warm or at room temperature.
Tadaaa!