Yeast Cake with Blueberries and Crumble Recipe
This yeast cake with blueberries and crumble is the essence of Polish summer – it smells of forest berries, butter and fresh yeast. It often appears after a weekend blueberry-picking trip, when someone comes back with purple fingers and a bucket of fruit. It’s the kind of cake that disappears while still warm, cut “wonky” straight from the baking tin.
This yeast cake with blueberries and crumble smells exactly like a morning after coming back from mushroom or blueberry picking – the whole kitchen fills with the aroma of butter, yeast and forest fruit. The soft, fluffy crumb contrasts with the crunchy, buttery crumble and juicy blueberries, which during baking create a slightly sticky, purple “carpet” on top. It has the feel of a lazy country Sunday – baked in one large tin, without pretending to be a fancy dessert, but packed with flavor.
Chef's tips
If you want a really fluffy cake, pay attention to temperature – the milk should be just lukewarm and all ingredients at room temperature, otherwise the yeast will work sluggishly. Knead the dough until it starts to come away from the sides of the bowl and feels elastic; kneading too briefly will give you a heavy, dense bake. Dry the blueberries well on a paper towel before adding and don’t overdo the amount of fruit, as too much juice can make the center gummy and cause the cake to collapse.
How to serve
It tastes best still slightly warm, served on a large board alongside a jug of freshly brewed tea with lemon or coffee with milk – just like during a long Sunday breakfast after coming back from the allotment. In summer you can serve it with a spoonful of sour cream or natural yogurt, which nicely balances the sweetness of the crumble. For a picnic, cut the cake into irregular squares, wrap in sandwich paper and pack into a basket – it travels much better than delicate layer cakes.
Ingredients
- wheat flour - 500 g
- milk - 250 ml
- yeast - 25 g
- sugar - 80 g
- egg - 2 piece
- butter - 80 g
- salt - 0.5 teaspoons
- blueberries - 400 g
- sugar - 2 tablespoons
- wheat flour - 80 g
- sugar - 50 g
- butter - 50 g
Preparation
- Gently warm the milk so it is warm but not hot. Crumble the yeast into a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour and a little warm milk. Mix until smooth and set aside for 10–15 minutes, until a foam appears on the surface.
- In a large bowl combine the remaining flour, sugar and salt. Add the risen starter, the eggs and the remaining milk. Knead the dough by hand or with a dough hook attachment for about 5 minutes, until the ingredients come together.
- Add the melted, cooled butter and knead for another 5–7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and starts to come away from the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until the dough doubles in volume.
- Meanwhile, prepare the crumble: put the flour and sugar into a bowl, add the cold butter cut into cubes. Rub with your fingers until crumbs form. Place the crumble in the fridge.
- Sort through the blueberries, rinse them quickly and dry thoroughly on a paper towel so they don’t release too much juice during baking.
- Line a baking tin about 25×35 cm with baking paper. Briefly knead the risen dough, transfer it to the tin and stretch it out with your fingers into an even layer. Cover with a cloth and leave for 20 minutes for a second rise.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, top and bottom heat. Scatter the blueberries over the risen dough, gently pressing them into the surface, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar, then distribute the crumble evenly on top.
- Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for about 25–30 minutes, until the crumble is golden and the edges of the cake slightly pull away from the tin.
- Remove the baked cake from the oven and leave to cool slightly. You can serve it still slightly warm or completely cooled.
Storage
Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 1 day, then in the fridge for another 2–3 days, especially if it has a lot of fruit. To revive leftovers, warm slices briefly in a low oven so the crumb softens and the crumble becomes crisp again.
