Blueberry Crumb Cake

“Art any more than a steward? Dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?”

-William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

Blueberry Cream Cheese Crumb Cake

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_ _ My roommate and I are both big homebodies. We have to force ourselves to go out downtown (which has happened a grand total of two times since the boys deployed) and the other day at lunch we got really wild and ordered a beer sampler with our sandwiches. We’ve adopted the mantra, “let’s act like we’re 24!” …But usually after we say that, we have a drink, get sleepy and change into our sweats for the night. Perhaps we’re a more civilized 24, perhaps we’re more cut out for afternoon teas that lead to afternoon naps… Perhaps the Beatles song was really about us: “will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 24?”

_ _ It was unintentional, but somehow after I mentioned afternoon teas, I managed to tie in a reference to British culture. I’m the greatest. So here’s some cake to go with your Earl Grey–as you toast being in your mid twenties.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/3 cups Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 cups Blueberries (fresh or frozen)

FOR THE TOPPING:
1/2 cups Brown Sugar
1/2 cups Flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
4 Tbsp Butter, melted

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Preheat oven to 350°F

1. In a large mixing bowl cream 1 stick butter and 1 1/4 cup of sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and beat together until fully incorporated.

2. In a separate bowl sift together the 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add those to the butter mixture and mix in.

3. Add the milk, vanilla and cream cheese. Mix together well. Gently fold in the blueberries (if using frozen, make sure they’re totally thawed so the dough doesn’t get too cold and hard to stir). Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan.

4. In a small mixing bowl, combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 cup flour. Pour the melted 4 tablespoons of butter into it and use a fork to mix until it’s crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the cake batter.

5. Bake 40-50 minutes.