blitz bliss

Blueberry almond blitz küchen. While I will sometimes embark on ambitious baking endeavors, I suspect I'll always prefer the quick fix that delivers a tasty treat.

The cake, aptly named blitz küchen (which means "lightening cake" in German!), comes together in a flash and, as you can tell, is as soft and fluffy as the blankets awaiting our little one. I chose blueberries as my fruit topping, partly because I love the way they taste and also because I enjoy the purplish color they bring to the cake once they've burst.

While I liked the sliced almonds on top the first day, they got soggy pretty quickly and their purpose was lost. I would probably use pecans or walnuts next time, as they tend to hold up better. The combinations of fruit and nuts on top are endless, but you mustn't skip the brown sugar and butter bit--it adds a necessary sweetness and richness that really makes this küchen special.

In the time it took to read this post, you could've nearly had this beauty ready to go into the oven--don't waste another second!

Blueberry Blitz Bake
Based on this recipe

(printable recipe)
Serves 9-12
Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray an 8x8-inch pan with cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar for 3-4 minutes, until very creamy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly between additions.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, add to the butter and egg mixture alternating with the milk and ending with the flour.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
To make the topping, mix together 1/4 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon, then rub in the butter until you have the consistency of wet sand.
Top the cake with the blueberries, cinnamon sugar, and the almonds, in that order.
Bake cake for 50-60 minutes, checking with a toothpick occasionally, and remove when the toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely before cutting and serving.