Buttermilk Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

 
A lovely reflective thought from John Muir

We all know how much Peter Rabbit liked his blackberries but it did get him into trouble. 

I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening.
His mother put him to bed and made some camomile tea, and she gave a dose of it to Peter!
'One table-spoon to be taken at bedtime.'
But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.

ending text is taken from the book The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

I do wonder if Peter had spied blueberries would he try to eat more than his share.  Think I'll use up my blueberries before someone else decides it's a really good treat. 

Cook's Notes:
One of the best things about blueberries is their simplicity. You don't have to peel them before use, a simple rinse will do. Throw them in your cereal, morning yogurt, a smoothie, a salad, or just enjoy them as a quick snack. These little berries packed full of vitamins and minerals can be a healthy addition to any diet.
FYI I have been trying to perfect this recipe having made it several times and finally found the secret ingredient-cake flour! Oh my, what a difference over using regular flour. The cake is light, fluffy, and moist. I just can't believe one change in an ingredient makes such a difference. Do not be daunted by directions-so well worth the time to make this. 

Cooking Tips: to create a really good blueberry muffin or coffee cake.
Use buttermilk
Stir batter only until moistened
Use small blueberries

Buttermilk Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

For the Streusel Topping

• 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 1/3 cup quick or old fashioned but not instant oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds

For the Cake

• 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
• 3 teaspoons packed lemon zest, from 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 pints of fresh blueberries (frozen may be used but do not defrost)

Directions:

• Make the streusel topping: Combine the brown 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 fingertips until it reaches a crumbly state. Can use a food processor for this step pulse 2-3 times. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square pan, pie, or cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour/flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated 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 buttermilk, beating at low speed to combine.
• Toss berries with a little flour and add the berries to the batter. Gently fold in 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 25-28 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, then serve right from the pan.
• This cake is best served on the day it is made. Leftovers will keep well for a few days wrapped in foil and stored at room temperature. But I am not sure there will be any left.