Wild Blueberry & Cornmeal Crumb Cake

Fleeting like the season itself—made for the handful of weeks when wild blueberries are at their best.

This one’s jammy in the center, tender with sweet cornmeal, and buried beneath a buttery, rum-splashed streusel you’ll be tempted to steal by the pinch. Bake it while the berries are still here.

Eat it warm à la mode. Share it if you must.

Yield 12-16

Mis En Place

Cake

170 G Unsalted Butter

150 G Granulated Sugar

50 G Light Brown Sugar

2 Large Eggs, room temperature

8 G Vanilla Extract

130 G Sour Cream

30 G Whole Milk

170 G All-Purpose Flour

80 G Fine Cornmeal

5 G Baking Powder

2 G Baking Soda

2.5 G Fine Sea Salt

2.5 G Cinnamon

Optional: Zest of 1/2 Lemon

Filling

1 Pint Wild Blueberries

2 G Sea Salt

30 G Granulated Sugar

30 G Lemon Juice

Streusel

225 G Flour

225 G Almond Flour

165 G Brown Sugar

10 G Cinnamon

112 G Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed

30 G Rum

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Method

Step 1

Make Blueberry Filling

In a small saucepan, combine the wild blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and sea salt.

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes or until the berries burst and the mixture becomes thick and jammy.

Set aside to cool completely.

Step 2

Make the Streusel

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Add the cold, cubed butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work it into the dry ingredients until coarse, clumpy crumbs form.

Drizzle in the rum and lightly toss to incorporate.

Chill until ready to use.

Step 3

Make Cake Batter

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease a 9-inch square cake panand line with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy about 3–4 minutes.Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest, if using.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In another small bowl or measuring cup, combine the sour cream and milk.

With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry.

Mix just until combined—do not overmix.

Step 4

Assemble

Spread half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Spoon the cooled blueberry filling over the batter, gently spreading it to the edges.

Dollop the remaining batter over top and carefully spread to cover the filling as best you can—

it’s okay if some blueberries peek through.

Top generously with the streusel.

Step 5

Bake

Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out with a few moist crumbs (avoid the blueberry layer when testing).

Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Best served slightly warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.