Blueberry Cake – “Merbe Teich”

As a young boy I would spend my summers in upstate Wisconsin, fishing, playing baseball, and cooking with family. The matriarch of the family was my Aunt Mimi, my favorite aunt, and a wonderful baker, although she may have been a wonderful aunt and my favorite baker. Once or twice a summer we would convince her to make her blueberry cake. She would send us into the woods to forage for the berries as she prepared a dough she called “Merbe Teich,” although I would later learn the true name of the dough is actually Murbeteig. 

As she grew older others in the family would try to replicate, and at times, try to innovate on her perfection with little success. When it became my turn to take a stab at it, I made what was the perfect version. The sweetness was right on point, the meringue was stiff and toasted beautifully. It was perfect but it still wasn't as good. I came to realize it was Mimi's imperfections that I loved the most. Funny how that is.

Make 2 cakes.

Ingredients

FOR “MERBE TEICH”

  • 4 cups flour

  • 1 lb. butter

  • yolks of 6 eggs well beaten

  • 4 TBSP sugar

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 heaping tsp baking powder

FOR BLUEBERRY MIXTURE

  • 1 qt. blueberries

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ½ tsp cinnamon

  • ½ cup flour

  • 1 TBSP lemon juice

  • ½ cup raspberries (if available)

FOR MERINGUE

  • 6 egg whites, well beaten 

  • 1 tsp cream of tartar

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

Cooking Instructions

FOR “MERBE TEICH”

Mix flour, butter, sugar, salt and baking powder like pie dough. Beat the yolks of eggs in a cup until light. You may add 2 TBSP cream. Add liquid to dry mixture. Put into pyrex coffee-cake-sized pan.

This will make two cakes. You may refrigerate half.

FOR BLUEBERRY MIXTURE

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. 

Put this mixture into a pan which you patted the merbe teich into. Pat sides well to top of pan. 

Bake for about 30 minutes at 325° or less until the sides show a bit of brown. Take from oven and put meringue (recipe follows) on and return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes.


FOR MERINGUE

Spread over berry mixture to cover well, touch edge of dough firmly. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Return to oven to finish baking. DO NOT LET MERINGUE BAKE TOO QUICKLY. It may take 45 minutes rather than 15-20 minutes.