BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE

This coffee cake recipe comes together pretty quickly and the blueberry flavor is super satisfying.  It has a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping that adds a nice surprise.

STREUSEL TOPPING:

6 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar

½ cup all prupose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½ inch cubes

CAKE:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs 

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1tsp. packed lemon zest

½ cup milk

2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen may be used, but do not defrost)

Make the streusel topping.  Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.  Using your fingers, mix until no lumps of brown sugar remain.  Rub in the butter with your fingers until it reaches a cumbly state.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 375 and set an oven rack in the middle position.  Grease or spray a 9 inch square pan.

In a medium, bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, beating on low speed to combine.  Add the berries to the batter and fold gently with a spatula until evenly distributed.  Do not over mix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter.  Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown around the edges and a cake tester comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes.

NOTE:  The cake is best eaten the same day since the topping is super crunchy.  The streusel softens the next day.  It still has a wonderful flavor, but the crunch is gone.  Since there's only two of us, I sliced up a bunch of servings and froze them to enjoy another day. 

Enjoy!

recipe c/o:  www.onceuponachef.com