Blueberry Coffee Cake with Almond Streusel

My boyfriend and I were visiting friends this weekend and I wanted to bring a little something for everyone to enjoy. This month’s Cooking Light gave me the perfect recipe: Blueberry Coffee Cake with Almond Streusel.

Coffee cake can refer to two different dishes: a cake made with coffee, or a cake that is served with coffee. This coffeecake is the latter and can be served for breakfast or as a dessert.

Ingredients:

• 9 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups fresh blueberries

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

• 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup butter, softened

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 1 cup nonfat buttermilk

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• Cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 375°.  Weigh or lightly spoon 9 ounces flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium sized bowl, stirring to combine.

Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and sprinkle over the blueberries, tossing to coat.

Combine the brown sugar, oats, almonds, 1 tablespoon flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss to combine. Set the bowl aside.

Add granulated sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and oil to a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (about 2 minutes).

Add egg; beat well.

Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. (I added 1/3 flour mixture, then 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 flour, 1/2 buttermilk, final 1/3 flour).

Stir in rind and juice.

Spoon half of batter into a 9×13-inch metal baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly in the pan.

Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup blueberry mixture.

Spoon remaining batter over blueberries.

Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup blueberry mixture.

Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

This coffeecake didn’t stand a chance, most of it was gone after dinner!

I don’t know if I picked up a particularly good batch or if it’s been a good year for blueberries, but the berries were really fantastic! I suggest serving some fresh blueberries along side the coffeecake.