Recently, Eric & I took a mini-vacation to do some hiking. We didn’t go very far or stay for very long, but that few days of glamping was a much needed break from our somewhat hectic daily lives. Eric planned a few dinners we could cook over the campfire, and we made some tuna salad in advance to enjoy for lunchbreaks while hiking. I kept to my (current) traditional breakfast of vanilla Greek yogurt with blueberries. Eric requested a homemade coffee cake for his vacation breakfasts. In need of a fabulous new recipe for the baked good, I turned to my favorite baking magazine.

Bake From Scratch is a baking periodical that I have had a subscription to for a number of years now. It is always my first resource when searching for something amazing for special occasions or special people. I absolutely love it! The recipes are wonderous and wonderful. The magazine is chock full of articles accompanying many of the recipes that delve into the history of the food and the interplay between the ingredients. All that information gives readers a better understanding of how a recipe came to be and why it works so well.

After consulting a few back issues of the magazine, I chose a coffee cake that incorporated almonds and blueberries in a crumb-topped cake that would work well for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Eric agreed and totally enjoyed this coffee cake to start his day.

Almond-Blueberry Coffee Cake (adapted from bakefromscratch.com) Total time Required: 90 minutes, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Bake Time: 50 – 65 minutes, Makes: 9 – 16 servings

Ingredients:

Streusel:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Cake:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
• 2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 x 8 square deep dish pan or 9-inch round deep cake pan with cooking spray and dust it with flour.

Streusel: In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Stir in the almonds.

Cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until it is fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in the extracts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond and all-purpose flours, baking powder, and salt.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the milk, beating just until combined after each addition. Begin and end with the flour mixture.

Stir in the sour cream.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Layer 1-1/4 cups of the blueberries on the batter.

Top the blueberries with the remaining batter, smoothing the top with a spatula. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries. Top the blueberries with the streusel and coarse sugar.

Bake the cake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 65 minutes. Let it cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen the sides.

Invert the cake onto a plate, and then invert it back again onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely.

Cut the cake into the desired numbers of pieces.

Serve and enjoy!

This is a rich and delicious start to the day!  ~Linda

Almond-Blueberry Coffee Cake (adapted from bakefromscratch.com) Total time Required: 90 minutes, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Bake Time: 50 – 65 minutes, Makes: 9 – 16 servings

Ingredients:

Streusel:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Cake:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
• 2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 x 8 square deep dish pan, or 9-inch round deep cake pan with cooking spray and dust it with flour.

Streusel: In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the almonds.

Cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until it is fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the extracts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and almond flours, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the milk, beating just until combined after each addition. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Stir in the sour cream. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Layer 1-1/4 cups of the blueberries on the batter. Top the blueberries with the remaining batter, smoothing the top with a spatula. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries. Top the blueberries with the streusel and coarse sugar.

Bake the cake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 65 minutes. Let it cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen the sides. Invert the cake onto a plate, and then invert it back again onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely. Cut the cake into the desired numbers of pieces and serve.