THB: Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

My second bake with the The Home Bakers (THB) group is the Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake from the book "Coffee Cakes Simple, Sweet and Savory" by Lou Seibert Pappas.  The recipe originally calls for the batter to be baked in a 9 inch springform pan but I decided to halve the recipe instead and baked it in a 7 inch springform.  It turned out really cute and just the right size for us.  I was hoping that my cake would look similar to the cake's photo which also happens to be the cover photo of the book but mine turned out a little darker.  Should you wish to try this recipe, Yvette of Bizzy Bakes posted it in her blog.

One of the things I find odd in this recipe (like most of the recipes in the book) is the use of unbleached all-purpose and whole wheat flours which, as far as I know, aren't really ideal for making cakes because of their high-gluten content and water absorption which would make the cakes tough and dry even if the batter is gently mixed.  So I substituted the flours with equal portions of bleached all-purpose flour and cake flour and completely omitted the whole wheat flour.  Honestly, if I want fiber in my diet I'd put some WWF in my breads but not in my cakes! :-)  

The cake turned out really moist and tender and I love how plump and juicy the blueberries became.  The juices of the blueberry against the yellow crumb of the cake becomes an unattractive green color though so maybe other berries would be better to use next time.  The cake also lacks somewhat in sweetness so I think it wouldn't hurt to add a little more sugar in both the batter and streusel topping.

Should you wish to join our lovely group head on over to the THB page and sign up! :-)