blackberry crumb cake

i love a good coffee cake. a good breakfast cake with fruit in it. like raspberries. or peaches.

i've just never made one.

why?

that's what my mom does. ever since i can remember my mother has been baking up something. fallen over birthday cakes. homemade cookies in the cookie jar. and since i've grown up, it's a toss up between cinnamon rolls and coffee cake first thing in the morning whenever we stay at their house. for me, it's my mother through and through. and only comes out for special occasions.

so next time you have house guests and want them to feel extra special, whip up this cake. it's easy, tasty, and super moist. i used fresh berries, but i bet frozen would work too. and swap out the blackberries for raspberries if you prefer them. it's your cake! make it how you want it.

blackberry crumb cake
adapted from real simple, july 2010

for the topping:
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

for the cake:
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups blackberries (about 1 pound)

1. preheat the oven to 350F. grease an 8 inch square baking dish.
2. in the bowl of a food processor, making the crumb topping by pulsing all ingredients until crumbly. pour out of the processor and set aside.
3. make the cake in the food processor too. pulse the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until crumbly. in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla together. add the dry ingredients from the processor to the egg mixture and mix until combined.
4. pour the cake batter into the pan and top with the blackberries. sprinkle the topping over the cake. bake about 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let the cake cool in the pan before serving. and cool completely. otherwise you might end up with berries down your shirt and a soupy piece of cake.