A great morning treat any time of year — Blueberry Nutmeg Coffee Cake, fragrant with nutmeg and packed with juicy blueberries.
I first encountered Cheryl Sternman Rule through Twitter and her longtime blog, 5 Second Rule, and more recently in her cookbook Ripe. She freelances for several publications, and I’ve always admired the warmth, humor, and clear voice she brings to her work.
Her blog posts and recipes are full of anecdotes and personality that make them a pleasure to read. If you haven’t explored Cheryl’s writing yet, it’s worth a look — her storytelling and recipes are charming and reliable.
When I agreed to review her new book I expected something special, but I didn’t expect it to be organized quite like this. Ripe is arranged in color-based sections that highlight produce by hue, and the photography by Paulette Phlipot is gorgeous — each recipe practically begs you to make it.
I chose a recipe by color because purple has always been my favorite. As a child I loved purple so much my parents let me pick purple bathroom fixtures when we moved into a new house — a memory that still makes me smile. The book’s purple section actually blends purple and blue produce, and it starts with blackberry-lime cornmeal shortcakes — irresistible, but I didn’t have blackberries that day.
Then I discovered this cake. It’s not just dotted with blueberries; it’s filled with them. I’d just picked up lovely blueberries at Whole Foods, so this was an easy choice. A coffee cake with a fresh cup of coffee in the morning is hard to beat.
I told Cheryl I was making the cake and she warned me, somewhat sternly, “Don’t eat it today — save it for tomorrow.” I had meant to take a small taste right away, but her admonition kept me from nibbling.
She promised a moist, almost jammy cake if it rested overnight, and I wasn’t convinced — Denver’s dry climate can be unforgiving. Still, I wrapped the cake and let it sit. The next day it was exactly as she described: moist, full of plump blueberries, and utterly delicious. The nutmeg is a brilliant choice — warm and subtle — offering a gentle, less expected spice compared with cinnamon.
This cake really lets ripe fruit shine. When berries are in season and perfectly ripe, simple preparations are often best, and this cake is all about the blueberries. I loved it so much I wanted to make it again right away. Now that the weather has cooled and I have blueberries in the fridge, another cake will be baked soon.
If you appreciate recipes that elevate fresh produce, Ripe is a cookbook I highly recommend. It’s one of my favorite recent finds and might become one of yours, too.
PIN IT! ‘Blueberry Nutmeg Coffee Cake’
Blueberry Nutmeg Coffee Cake
Creative Culinary
Pin Recipe
15 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 15 minutes
Cakes, Cupcakes & Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 2 cups 220g blueberries
- ¾ tsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup plus 2 & 1/2 Tbsp 190g granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup 125g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp ground nutmeg divided
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ pound 1 stick or 113g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 eggs
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment.
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In a medium bowl, toss the blueberries with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of the nutmeg and the salt.
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Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1/4 cup (187g) of the sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
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Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl. With the mixer on low, beat in the sifted dry ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
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Scatter the berries and any juices over the batter. Stir the remaining 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of sugar with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and sprinkle it over the berries. Bake in the center of the oven for 50–60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean and the cake just begins to pull away from the sides.
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Cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
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Remove the cake from the springform and let it cool completely. Use a wide, thin spatula to transfer it to a large plate. Wrap tightly with plastic and let it mellow at room temperature for several hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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