Blackberry Breakfast Cake with Streudel Topping… and a flight to Ranger Creek

My idea of flying with Ranger Craig is a trip over to the islands, to visit one of the fabulous Farmer’s Markets.  As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a fair weather flyer.  A fair weather flyer that likes to land on a nice black top runway.  A runway with lots of space.

But Ranger Craig had a new idea this past weekend.  Yep, he talked me into another one of his adventure flights.  I’m always in for some fun, but testing the strength of my heart is not something I want to do on a regular basis.

If you’ll notice, there is only one picture of the landing strip into Ranger Creek.  That’s because I dropped my camera into my lap and my hands hung onto the sides of my seat.  I was silent.  Silently praying that is.  Large looming mountains… and one itsy bitsy little runway.

Of course all was good, the landing smooth and I could’ve kissed the ground when I got out of the plane.

We grabbed Tank, our little flying buddy, backpacks and water and off we went to explore Ranger Creek.  The beauty was abundant.  And I suppose, worth the eyeball popping landing.

I don’t know who had more fun hiking, me or Tank.

Ranger Craig doesn’t call these little jaunts in the woods a hike.  Nope.  My tough guy calls these little jaunts a nice walk in the woods.  Well, we can’t all be Rangers.  Right?

So how did I get the idea for a Blackberry Breakfast Cake out of a flight to Ranger Creek?   I went blackberry picking.

You’d think after that adventurous day trip I’d be flat-out exhausted.  But no, the blackberries up the road were calling me.  And Blackberry Cake sounded like a little piece of heaven for a Sunday morning breakfast.

Blackberry Breakfast Cake with Streusel Topping

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks/8 ounces), softened

1 ½ cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup sour cream

3 cups flour (for best results use 1 cup cake flour and 2 cups all-purpose)

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

4-5 cups fresh blackberries or frozen blackberries thawed and drained

Streusel Topping

1 cup brown sugar

1 ¼ all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 tablespoons (4 ounces/ 1 stick) melted butter

Directions

Pre-heat the oven 350F.  Butter a 9×13 baking pan.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom.

In a kitchen aid mixer or with a hand-held electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs until combined. Slowly mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

With the mixer on slow, add the flour mixture a cup at a time until fully incorporated and smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and then top with the fresh berries.

In a medium bowl mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and melted butter.  Mix with a fork until crumbly.  Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the blackberries.

Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until cake is done in the center.  Cool completely before serving.

OPTIONS:  Substitute with fresh blueberries and raspberries.  Or serve as a light dessert with fresh whipped cream.

Recipe adapted from multiple sources