Red Currant Cake or Muffins

My dad Arthur loved red currants and planted two bushes in the backyard on Castlegrove Blvd. Marilyn isn't fond of them and wants somebody to dig them out of the garden, but it's no easy task to dig out a bush by its roots. I like red currants, and made this red currant cake from the berries I picked on the bushes this year. The sweet streusel is balanced by the slightly sour fruit and the cake's mild vanilla flavour.

Streusel Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup homogenized milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups fresh red currants
• 2 tsp flour

Streusel:

• 3 Tbsp softened butter
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Take butter out of the refrigerator to soften to room temperature.
2. Take eggs out of the fridge as well.
3. Wash and drain the currants.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Butter and lightly flour a 9-inch springform pan or cake pan.
6. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
7. In bowl of electric mixer, combine butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy (about 5 minutes).
8. Without stopping the mixer, beat in one egg at a time, just until mixed in.
9. Add HALF the flour mixture, beat just until mixed in.
10. Add milk and vanilla, turn mixer to LOW, beat just until mixed in.
11. Add remaining flour mixture, beat just until mixed in.
12. In a small bowl, toss currants with 2 tsp flour.
13. Gently stir currants by hand into the batter.
14. With a spatula, pour and gently smooth batter in the prepared cake pan so that batter is level.
15. Mix the streusel topping in a small bowl, with your fingers or a fork.
16. combine the butter, brown sugar, sugar, flour and cinnamon until it forms pea-sized crumbles.
17. Sprinkle over top of the cake batter in the pan.
18. Bake the cake in the pre-heated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes.
19. Top of the cake should be golden-brown.
20. Remove from oven and place hot cake pan on a cooling rack.
21. Let cool 15 minutes, then remove from the pan.
22. Slice and serve warm.

Half-Recipe for Muffins

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 cup red currants 
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Topping:

• 1-1/2 Tbsp soft butter
• 1-1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1-1/2 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Make batter as per cake instructions, mixing 1 cup currants with 1 tsp flour instead of 2.
2. Bake in muffin pans at 375 degrees F until done.