The documentary, portrait, and fashion photographer shares her mother’s recipe for blueberry coffee cake.
Sarah Blais is sentimental, a characteristic that unveils itself in her imagery as well as her preferred means of sustenance. The Berlin- and Paris-based photographer, who was honored with the British Journal of Photography’s 2019 Female in Focus award, has made a name for herself capturing beautiful objects and people in exquisitely tender and surreal ways, with works that span several genres including documentary, fashion, and portrait. Blais’ client list comprises esteemed brands, such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Loewe, and Calvin Klein, and her photographs have been featured in Vogue, Document Journal, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as the debut print issue of Family Style. The photographer has traveled and lived in many different countries across the world and sampled various global cuisines, and yet nothing can compete with her mom’s blueberry coffee cake. “I would sneak into the kitchen to steal tiny bites as a 6-year-old,” Blais tells Family Style. “Fascinating how something so simple can remind me of all the warmth she brought to our home. Even the smell of it baking in the oven makes me feel like a kid.” Although it is not an exact replica of her mom’s original recipe, which Blais discloses is tucked away, the recipe below is still an old-fashioned treat anyone (and their mothers) can enjoy.
Ingredients
Streusel topping
- 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up to mix
Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons maple sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- ½ cup oat milk
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
Instructions
- For the topping, mix the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
- Hand mix the butter so that it becomes crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease a 9-inch square pan with butter.
- For the cake mix, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until well mixed.
- Add the eggs and beat in thoroughly. Mix in the maple syrup and lemon zest.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and oat milk, folding and mixing in with a spoon to combine.
- Once well-mixed, add berries to the batter and fold gently with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread out.
- Sprinkle streusel topping over the batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!