Not Your Ordinary Coffee Cake: Let’s Bake a Polish Coffee Cake with Blueberry Filling

What the heck? What is this dessert? Is it a coffee cake or a cheesecake or a very rich, thick dessert bar. I found the recipe for “Polish Coffee Cake” several years ago while flipping through one of those foodie magazines which line grocery store check-out racks. At the time, I was looking for ways to use my backyard blueberries. I had never heard of a “Polish Coffee Cake” but have since learned that it is a family favorite of many Polish families with recipes handed down through the generations. Apparently, there are two versions — one is made with yeast and the second version uses baking powder for leavening. The common defining factors are that these coffee cakes aren’t too, too sweet and the texture is dense — between a shortbread cookie and a cake. Often the baking powder versions contain sour cream in the batter. The cakes include a cream cheese filling layer and fruit is mixed somewhere in the batter, too. And, there is a crumb topping — after all, this is a coffee cake, Put all those ingredients together and this makes one decadent, rich dessert. Hey, I’m not complaining — just reporting the facts on Polish Coffee Cakes. The Polish name is, “Placek z Kruszonka,” or crumb cake. It does not have coffee in the cake; but rather is intended to be served with coffee. I have five blueberry bushes in my backyard and lots of blueberries. Doesn’t a blueberry sauce filling sound perfect in this recipe? Yes, I’m on it.

It’s a Road Trip: A Hoosier at Heart and Recipe Inspiration

I always bring several of those foodie magazines along on road trips to have something to distract from the boredom of a long auto drive. (I can read a magazine easier than a book.) Several summers ago, we took an auto trip from Louisiana to northeastern Indiana to attend my college class reunion — yes, I’m a still Hoosier at heart after spending four years of college in Indiana. It was an exhaustive 20 hour drive to Fort Wayne, Indiana. I had plenty of time to look at recipes in magazines and gaze at all the colorful photos. The “Polish Coffee Cake” recipe caught my attention, and I decided to try making the dessert once we got back home.

Has Rural Indiana Changed?

For the record, nothing about my old college in rural Indiana has changed. The small college is located in the tiny town of North Manchester surrounded by cornfields. It is a 45 minute drive to the nearest city — Fort Wayne. All those rural farmhouses and small country roads were still there as I remembered them. And my classmates haven’t changed either — we are just getting older. We had a great time reminiscing about college all those years ago and the fun we had, professors and the mischievous pranks originating in the men’s dorms — of course. I’m fortunate that I was paired with such a great group of dorm-mates and have kept of contact with them after so many years.

Backyard Blueberries

The recipe made a good opportunity to use summer blueberries from the bushes in my backyard. I have five blueberry bushes. They produce so many blueberries — but I’m having a dilemma with my ever-growing bird population. I used to cover the main blueberry bush with netting to prevent the birds from snacking on my berries– now these bushes ares too large. The birds are getting a feast as this cardinal is showing off. So, I have no choice but to share.

Large recipe

This recipe is a large one. It takes a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. So don’t try to squeeze everything into a small baking pan. I’ve made this recipe several times. It dessert yields more that the two of us can eat. So, either I freeze some of the dessert or share with friends,

Making the “Polish Coffee Cake” recipe:

This is a multi-step recipe and there are four distinct layers in the dessert. It is alot of work but the end result is worth the effort. Plus, it helps to get ready several hours in advance by letting the butter for the cake and crumb topping and the cream cheese for the filling set out of the refrigerator for several hours until softened. The recipe involves:

1. making the cake batter,
2. making a cream cheese filling,
3. cooking a blueberry sauce,
4. stirring together a crumb topping,
5. assembling everything in the baking pan.

I took my time; didn’t rush things. After getting all the components made, assembling the actual coffee cake was not difficult. I went in reverse order, making the topping first. Here we go:

Mix up the crumb topping.

Here are the ingredients for the crumb topping. Make sure to set the butter (for this topping and more for the cake) out ahead of time to let it soften. The butter shouldn’t melt — just get soft.

To mix up the crumb topping, swirl together the flour and brown sugar in a bowl. Cut in the softened butter (1/3 cup). Use a fork to cut in the butter. Or, I found it easier to put my hand inside a plastic bag and cut in the butter until the mixture was crumbly. Chop up the pecans until they are finely chopped. Stir the pecans into the crumb topping.

Make the blueberry sauce and set aside.

Here are the ingredients for the blueberry sauce. It is a simple sauce to mix up and consists of blueberries, sugar, a little water to thin things down and cornstarch to thicken the sauce. (This sauce can be made a day ahead of time.)

To make the blueberry sauce, mix the blueberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to boil, then let simmer on the stove until the blueberries pop, the sugar dissolves and the sauce starts to thicken — about 10 minutes. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup cold water to dissolve the cornstarch. Off the stove, slowly stir the cornstarch slurry into the blueberries.

Whew! We’re half way done.

Make the cream cheese filling.

Next, make the cream cheese filling. It helps if the cream cheese is softened — let it set out of the refrigerator for several hours. Here are the ingredients for the filling:

It works best to mix the filling up with an electric mixer to achieve a creamy and smooth mixture,. Add the ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Blend at low speed until creamy — this may take several minutes.

Mix up the cake batter.

Here are the ingredients for the sour cream cake. It has a sticky and thick consistency — like a “bar” cookie. I used an electric mixer to mix up the cake batter.

Cream the softened butter and sugar. (Lots of butter and sugar in this recipe — it is a large recipe, plus rich.) Add the egg and blend until fluffy and pale. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Slowly, mix in the flour mixture (four mixed with baking powder, baking soda and salt.)

Finally, assemble the cake. Press half of the batter into an oiled 9″ x 13″ cake pan. This takes some effort and I probably used a little more than half the batter. I finally wetted my hands and used my fingers and the back of the spoon and fork to get the batter pressed to the edges.

Pour on the sour cream filling and spread it ouy to the edges.

Let’s keep going. We have the blueberry sauce made. It is spread on the cake next.

Spoon the remaining cake batter (approximately half the batter) — by dollops — evenly over the cake.

Finally sprinkle the crumb topping over the top of the cake. Bake in 350 dergee oven for about 45 minutes.

Let the cake cool until it can be handled and cut. The crust is “firm” or crisp like a shortbread cookie — it takes a little effort to score and cut the dessert. The dessert is rich, cut into small pieces — I made 8 x 4 cuts for 24 pieces.

I love the cake when it is warm. Tastes like a cheesecake and the cream cheese “melts in your mouth.” Plus it has a crunchy topping and a hint of blueberry and rich cookie crust. The cake is delicious!

This dessert is good for snacks, dessert or even breakfast. I found some of my great-grandmother’s china to serve the dessert along with a cup of tea one afternoon. Or, coffee — if we’re being correct in serving the dessert.

And, now I know what a “Polish Coffee Cake” is about. I’d say that it was a cooking adventure. I’m convinced that I got out almost every bowl and pot that I own to make the dessert. For a special occasion, it was worth the effort.

Enjoy!