Blueberry Streusel Loaf

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I try and buy seasonally, but I have to admit to having a passion for blueberries. They were on offer last week in my usual supermarket, so had to buy some. I know they don't taste anything like the ones I grow in my pot in the garden, and that they'd been shipped half way round the world, but I still love them. 
I've been eating some every morning with my porridge, but decided I wanted to make a cake. This is one of our favourite loaf cakes, but with a streusel topping. The original recipe was from an American website so has been converted from cups - hence the odd amounts. I've tweaked the recipe because it had way too much sugar in the cake. I like making cakes with oil - makes me think they're healthier!

So, preheat oven 190C/gas5

Grease a 900g loaf tin.

Put 80g granulated sugar in a bowl with 60ml sunflower oil. Mix together with an electric mixer, then add 1 egg, 250ml milk and 1 tspn vanilla extract and beat till smooth and creamy. Fold in 280g plain flour which has been sieved with 3 tspns baking powder. Mix to a batter without lumps. 
Put 220g blueberries in a bowl and add 1 tbspn flour and coat the berries with it. Then gently fold the blueberries into the batter.
Pour into the tin and smooth top [ batter should fill about 2/3 of the tin or it will overflow when baking]. Mix 60g granulated sugar with 50g flour and 50g butter and rub in to make the streusel. Sprinkle this over the batter and bake for about 50mins-1hr. After about 30 mins I covered the top with foil to stop the streusel burning. Cool on a wire rack.





It make a nice treat with a cuppa, and keeps for a few days in an airtight tin. I like the contrast in textures between the cake and the streusel and the softness of the fruit. If you like, you could add more topping, but for me, the ratio is just right. A nice easy cake to make.











Comments

Suelle said…
That's a good looking streusel topping. I think I cut back the butter too much in the last one I made - it didn't stick together very well.

I don't blame you for using blueberries - there's not much British fruit around at the moment.
25/3/15 8:27 am
Hello said…
Love your topping x
25/3/15 11:24 am
Kimberly said…
I love blueberries!I have to try this.
27/3/15 11:41 am
Phil in the Kitchen said…
Delicious cake and a lovely sounding contrast of textures. I do try to buy (or pick) seasonal fruit but I must admit that I tend to buy blueberries pretty much all year round. (I blame my wife - she claims that she can't get through breakfast without some blueberries). I was thinking about planting some blueberries this year. I've got a large pot so that might be the best place - all tips welcome.
27/3/15 4:27 pm
Snowy said…
We've planted one in a large pot and had a great yield last year. It needs ericaceous compost, and I fed it regularly with suitable feed. Going to take out some of the compost give it some new stuff.
Had to cover it with netting as our resident blackbird loved the berries!
28/3/15 3:02 am
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