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INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
CAKE

1½ cups     sifted unbleached flour
1 cup     granulated sugar
2 tsp     baking powder
½ tsp     baking soda
¼ tsp     salt
2     eggs
1 cup     sour cream
½ tsp     vanilla
¼ cup     fresh blueberries, (or other fruit, or nuts such as walnuts), optional
    vegetable oil

TOPPING

5 Tbsp     granulated sugar
2 Tbsp     butter
½ tsp     cinammon

PROCEDURE

(1)     Preheat oven to 350º F.
(2)     In a large mixing bowl, resift flour with baking power, baking soda, salt, and 1 cup of sugar.
(3)     In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.
(4)     Add egg mixture to flour mixture and beat until smooth.
(5)     Oil a 9-inch square baking pan (you can also use an 8 inch square pan, or anything of similar surface area, if you increase the baking time by about 5 minutes).
(6)     Spread the batter in the pan. If you are using fruit or nuts, scatter them over the batter and stir a little bit so that they stay in the top layer.
(7)     In a small bowl, mix 5 Tbsp sugar with the butter and cinammon with a sturdy fork, until they are blended and resemble cornmeal (i.e., you should have a mixture of fine crumbs, not a smooth mixture).
(8)     Sprinkle topping over batter.

(9)     Bake for 20–25 minutes, until a clean toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry.
(10)     Cool slightly; serve warm or at room temperature. Don't ruin it by serving it with salted butter.

NOTES

All ingredients and bowls should be a room temperature before you start; this is particularly true for the butter.