Recipe: Blueberry Cake with Almond and Cinnamon (like a giant muffin top)

BLUEBERRY CAKE WITH ALMOND AND CINNAMON

"Whenever I have a muffin, my first thought is generally, "Why aren't muffins better?" Butler, sugar, eggs, flour - I mean, by all accounts, it should be least an 8/10 every time. And yet I find myself wishing that most were even a tenth as good as the ones from Costco that I grew up eating, which we all know are just cakes baked in muffin cups. After giving it a lot of thought, I realized that instead of making a muffin that tastes like cake, what I wanted was a cake that tasted like a muffin. So here it is, basically one giant muffin top, now in sliceable cake form. You'll notice that alter baking it is a bit more shallow than a classic cake, but since it's so rich (thanks, almond flour!), the portion size remains the same. Another added bonus from the fatty nut flour is that this cake stays fresh as the day it was born for a few days, even if you forget to wrap it tightly every time you sneak a bite, which is my signature move."



"I prefer the tinier late-summer blueberries for this because they tend to be juicier and tangier (and cuter). Use whatever you can find, because even an okay blueberry, when baked, is a pretty spectacular blueberry."

Nonstick spray, for the pan
1 cup almond flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted bitter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar, divided use
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups blueberries, divided use

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch fluted Ian pan or round cake pan with nonstick spray,

Whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, in a medium bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is super light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and with the mixer on medium, add the eggs one at a time, beating until each one is incorporated, followed by the vanilla. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is pale and nearly doubled in volume, 4 to 5 minutes, Fold in the flour mixture until no dry spots remain. Gently add 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries by hand, making sure you don't totally smush them.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and, using a spatula or the back of a spoon, smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries and remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar on top.

Bake until the cake is deeply golden brown and pulls away from the edges slightly, 30 to 35 minutes. It should start to crackle a bit on top (what you're looking for).

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.

TO DO AHEAD:
The cake can be baked 4 days ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature.

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake, 8 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Random House
Source: Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes: A Cookbook by Alison Roman