There's something about coffeecakes that takes me back to the days when I was a little girl visiting my grandparents on their farm in rural Wisconsin. It seemed like it didn't matter what the occasion was, my Grandma always had dessert on hand. And nine times out of ten, it was a simple fruit-based coffeecake. They were usually made with whatever fruit was in season or particularly handy. In the fall, everything featured apples and pears. In the coldest part of the winter, dried fruits and nuts made their way into the limelight.
Of course, my Grandma didn't have access to the wide selection of fresh and frozen fruits that are available in most grocery stores today. So, today, I offer you a recipe that's inspired by those precious days on my Grandma's farm, but one that takes full advantage of the conveniences of today. I offer you my Blueberry-Almond Coffeecake!
As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments in the discussion board using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!
Blueberry-Almond Coffeecake
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
- 1/3 c. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. plain low-fat yogurt
- 2 T. margarine, melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 c. frozen blueberries
- 3 T. brown sugar
- 2 T. chopped almonds
- 1/4 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. skim milk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8-inch tart pan (with a removable bottom) with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients (flour through salt); mix to blend. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, margarine, vanilla and egg; whisk until blended and smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir them until just smooth.
Spoon about 2/3 of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Toss the blueberries with the brown sugar and arrange the mixture over the crust. Drop the remaining batter over the berries by small spoonfuls. Sprinkle with the almonds.
Bake the coffeecake for 40 minutes or until it is set and golden on the top. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan to a serving plate.
Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir to make a glaze. Drizzle over the cake.
- Yields: 8 servings
- Preparation Time: 1 hour