Blueberry Almond Coffeecake

Blueberries! Blueberries!

Here's the berry scoop...Over 200 million pounds are grown every year with Michigan and New Jersey producing 66% of all blueberries in the US. Did you know that blueberries are the second most popular berry in the US and strawberries are number one? It was interesting to note that blueberry muffins are the official muffin of Minnesota and blueberries are the official state fruit of New Jersey. 

Talk about healthy...a cup of blueberries is only 80 calories and it has virtually no fat! This fruit offers noteworthy nutritional benefits with one serving getting 14 mg of vitamin C and it rates near the top for antioxidant activity per serving. So enjoy the following recipe that features "the blueberry" as the star!

Blueberry Almond Coffeecake

Cook's Notes: A coffeecake perfect for your weekend eating. It bursts with fresh blueberries topped with a crunchy cinnamony brown sugar almond crust.

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cake Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons regular cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold butter
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon each vanilla and almond extract

Topping Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Saigon cinnamon or 3/4 teaspoon regular cinnamon
• 3/4 cup crushed almonds
• 2 tablespoons cold butter 

Topping Directions:

• Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and almonds together. Cut in cold butter using fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Use a food processor for this step and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  
  

Filling Directions:

• In a medium saucepan combine blueberries and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, In a small cup stir cornstarch with 1/4 cup sugar and then add to the blueberry mixture. Cook over low heat until thickened about 3 minutes. Set aside.  

Cake Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8 x 8 pan. In a medium bowl stir together 1-1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or your fingers to cut in the 1/4 cup cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• In a small bowl combine egg, buttermilk, and extracts. Use a whisk and mix well. Stir in the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture and mix only until combined. Spread in a baking pan using floured hands.
• Spread blueberry filling evenly over the batter.  
• Sprinkle topping evenly over the blueberry filling.
• Bake for 24-26 minutes. Serve warm.