This loaf cake is dotted with pockets of ripe, jammy blueberries and speckled with aromatic Earl Grey tea. The tea leaves act a bit like lemon zest, adding a perfumed quality that enhances the deep floral notes of the berries. For the strongest flavor, look for an especially bergamot-forward tea, and be sure to grind it down to a fine, powderlike texture if the leaves are whole or particularly large. Take note that loaf pans can vary in size; if your pan is threatening to overflow with batter, scoop a little bit out and make a single muffin (baker’s treat!).
Directions
- Make the crumble topping: Combine the sugar and tea in a medium bowl and rub together with your hands until the mixture is very fragrant and begins to appear damp. Add the flour, butter, and salt, and continue to use a rubbing motion to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until loose crumbles form. If the mixture becomes too warm, it will form a single mass and become very sticky. If this happens, chill the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes, then re-crumble it into small pieces.
- Make the cake batter: Heat oven to 325°F and position a rack in the center. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, then line it with a long strip of parchment paper that comes up and over the short sides of the pan.
- Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour and set aside.
- Add the sugar and tea to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Rub together, using your hands, until the mixture is very fragrant and begins to appear damp. Then add the butter, baking powder, and salt, and mix on medium-high speed until very light and fluffy, taking care to stop to the mixer every so often to scrape down the sides.
- Add the eggs one at a time and, mixing well between additions, mix in the yogurt on low speed until no streaks remain. Finally, add the remaining 1½ cups flour and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Take the bowl off the machine and gently fold in the blueberries by hand. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Distribute the crumble evenly over the top, then bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the crumble topping begins to look too dark before the cake is done, lightly tent the pan with foil or move the cake to the bottom rack of the oven to finish cooking.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then use the overhanging parchment to lift it out of the pan and transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy just warm or at room temperature.
- Store leftover cake tightly wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 month in the freezer.
Zola Gregory
Zola Gregory is a writer and recipe developer based in Seattle. Having previously worked as a pastry chef and baker, she now enjoys helping others find success in their own kitchens through her stories, recipes, and baking classes.