Blueberry Coffe Cake

You may be wondering why, after three months of blogging, I have not posted a breakfast recipe. The answer is because I am not a breakfast person.  I do not have a big appetite early in the day. However, I do crave something sweet in the morning. In fact, I am known for eating cake for breakfast. A perfect breakfast for me is a cup of coffee and a piece of muffin, pastry or coffee cake. That makes me happy.

And happiness I found when I ate this blueberry coffee cake for breakfast. Last summer, a group of friends and I went to the Fingerlakes for a weekend of wine tasting. We stayed at a lovely B&B called The Lakehouse (http://www.thelakehouseonseneca.com). The Lady who ran the B&B was an excellent cook and every morning, before the breakfast feast, she would make this lovely coffee cake. It was so good that I seriosouly considered skipping breakfast so I could keep eating more coffee cake. By the end of our trip, we all left with our bellies full, way too many bottles of wine and the recipe for the blueberry coffee cake that the innkeeper baked for us in the morning. 

Yesterday, I decided to make this recipe for the first time because a friend of mine was coming over for breakfast and I had all the ingredients at hand. Five hours later, I only had ¼ left. Although the cake was delicious, I think the next time I make it I will add an additional egg because the center was a bit doughy. If you like doughy coffee cake, don’t make any changes. Here is the recipe. Enjoy with a warm cup of coffee.

Blueberry Coffe Cake
Adapted from The Lake House B&B’s recipe book

Comments: I added bran to the recipe because I like to add fiber to my diet whenever I can. Bran is tasteless, so the flavor of the coffee cake was not compromised. I added vanilla as well because I think it enhances the flavor of the bread.

Ingredients for the batter
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
 ½  teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons bran (optional)
 ¼ butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
¾ cup sugar
1 egg (I would add a second egg)
½ cup milk
2 cups blueberries

Ingredients for the topping

½ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

½ cup butter (use real butter!)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions 

1. Grease a 9in. square pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and bran in a medium bowl.  
4. In a mixer, cream the butter, vanilla, sugar and egg.
5. Add the creamed ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add the milk and mix. Add the blueberries and mix again. 
6. In a mixer, cream the topping ingredients.
7. Pour the batter in the greased pan. Add the topping (with your fingers) on top of the batter.
8. Bake in the oven for 45 min. to 1 hour (depending on your oven). Before serving, let it sit for approximately 45 minutes.