Blueberry

Blueberry Cake with Peanut Streusel

June 15, 2015
4
6 Ratings
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Makes one 8- or 9-inch cake
Author Notes

Cake can be spicy. Cake can be weird. This one is both. The recipe name—Blueberry Cake with Peanut Streusel—is deceptively ordinary. Read beyond the title and look at the ingredient list, which calls for cayenne pepper, peanut butter, and lime juice. Like your typical blueberry cake, it's polka-dotted with plenty of indigo berries, but unlike that old standby, you can use some of the leftover ingredients to make a cold noodle salad. This cake recipe reminded me to try more desserts with unusual spices.

Slightly adapted from "Home" by Bryan Voltaggio. —Sarah Jampel

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the peanut streusel
  • 3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (113 grams) granulated sugar
  • 7 ounces (125 grams) roasted unsalted peanuts
  • 1/2 cup (70 grams) graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (3 grams) ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 1/2 grams) fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1/2 gram) cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • For the cake and the glaze:
  • The cake:
  • 2 1/2 cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 grams) baking powder
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 13 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (200 grams) sour cream
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract, or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean
  • 2 cups (350 grams) fresh or frozen blueberries
  • Zest from 2 limes
  • The glaze:
  • 1/2 cup (120 grams) sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons (45 grams) buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons (35 grams) smooth peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) honey
  • Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup (65 grams) confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea salt
Directions
  1. For the peanut streusel
  2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Put the flour, sugar, peanuts, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne in a food processor. Pulse 2 or 3 times to blend and chop the peanuts.
  3. Add the butter and pulse until moist, coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
  1. For the cake and the glaze:
  2. To make the blueberry cake, butter an 8- or 9-inch springform cake pan and set it on a baking sheet.
  3. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
  4. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt on low speed until light and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla.
  6. With the mixer running on medium, add the egg mixture to the butter mixture in 2 or 3 additions, until fully incorporated.
  7. Stop the mixer and add the flour mixture. Mix until you have a smooth, silky batter.
  8. Fold in the blueberries and the lime zest. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
  9. Take the streusel out of the refrigerator and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cake. If using an 8-inch cake pan, bake for 2 hours (rotating the pan halfway through), beginning to check the center of the cake at 1 hour and 45 minutes. If using a 9-inch pan, bake for 1 hour 45 minutes, beginning to check at 1 hour 30 minutes. Make sure a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  10. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before unmolding.
  11. To make the glaze, pour all of the ingredients except for the powdered sugar and salt into a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar and the salt and mix until you have a smooth icing. Drizzle over top of the cooled cake and let set for about 20 minutes.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Smoothiesrule
    Smoothiesrule
  • Bill Masters
    Bill Masters
  • The Spoon and Pint
    The Spoon and Pint
  • Hannah
    Hannah
  • Sarah Jampel
    Sarah Jampel

13 Reviews

JasonS July 6, 2022
Peanuts have no place with blueberries.
 
Hannah January 16, 2023
Don’t knock til you try it. The first time I had blueberries and peanut butter together, I was sold. Again, don’t knock it til you try it.
 
Maggie July 28, 2015
Thank you so much for a lovely recipe, will be making it for def. AND a huge thank you for the metric, imperial weights. V v thoughtful. I live in UK and have had such disasters trying to convert. Thank youxxx
 
Smoothiesrule July 5, 2015
Found the flavor combination brilliant especially the glaze. Agree the streusel layer is very deep. European guests commented cake was massive. Wondering how it would be to cut batter and streusel in half, keep full amount of glaze and bake in an 8".
 
Claudia June 30, 2015
You say that it makes one eight or nine inch cake. However it looks as if it was made in a tube pan. Can it be made in either a tube pan or a bundt pan?
 
Barbara N. June 30, 2015
I too have experienced underdone cakes because the time in the recipe is off (or I forget to time it :() . Then I started to use an instant read thermometer (look for 190-200 F) which is what I use to test bread. All is well. I have not tried this recipe yet- I am on my way to the store to get the ingredients I am missing- it sounds great.
 
Sarah J. June 30, 2015
That's a great tip—thanks for sharing!
 
Funwithme June 19, 2015
How is a recipe reviewed for a community pick, just wondering? I think this Blueberry Cake with Peanut Streusel needs tweaking a bit. First you only need 1/2 of the streusel recipe and the glaze as well. 3/4C of Sour Cream, really way is it stated in T?? I used Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream. Probably will not make this again, made a mess of my kitchen! Haha
 
Sarah J. June 19, 2015
I use all of the streusel when making the cake, but yes, the recipe could use a note that the streusel could be halved for those who don't want as much! And I weigh the sour cream from ease, but it could be 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon.
 
Sarah J. June 19, 2015
But I am sorry it made a mess! I do hope it still tasted great, though! :)
 
Bill M. June 18, 2015
just pulled this out of the oven and cut a slice - buttered it up and it's so good. I forgot the yogurt at the store but I had some Kefir in the fridge. :) Worked just fine.
 
Bill M. June 18, 2015
Ugh. Wrong Recipe. Sorry. LOL I don't see where I can edit or delete comments. Grrrr
 
The S. June 15, 2015
I wish my oven was not broken!! I would be making this yummy cake!