I found this recipe about 8 years ago when I was looking for something for a girls get together. I host some scrapbooking classes/crops at my house some times and I like to make dinner and some snacks for everyone. This is a GREAT recipe that is perfect after a meal with a nice coffee. The ladies love it and so does everyone else when I make it for other occasions.
This recipe is from an old Cooking Light Magazine and it calls for Huckleberries, which are AWESOME if you can find them, but you can substitute Blueberries which are much easier to find in your local grocery store. My mom comes from Huckleberry "land" (Montana) so when I saw this I thought of her and my fond memories of going to Montana in the summer and picking berries and having Huckleberry Ice-cream!
As you know by now I use mostly organic items when I cook or bake, but you are free to use what you are used to using.
Here's a picture of the coffee cake I made this morning:
Here's the Recipe:
Low Fat Huckleberry (or Blueberry) Coffee Cake:
1/4 Cup Butter; softened
4 oz. 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese; softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Cups. Huckleberries or Blueberries
Topping:
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp. Butter; softened
To Make:
Combine the butter, cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. A note on the cream cheese: I use 1/3 less fat cc b/c the non-fat version they call for just doesn't seem to result in a nice, moist coffee cake. You can choose to use the non-fat if you are really watching the calories, but I suggest the 1/3 fat if not. I like to quickly melt the butter and cream cheese in the microwave for about 15 seconds so it's easier to mix by hand. You can use a mixer but I prefer to use a wisk or fork to mix this recipe. Then add the egg and mix together. Then add the dry ingredients and blend everything together. I didn't understand why they added the vanilla as the last ingredient before the blueberries until after I tasted it. I think it just makes the vanilla flavor more powerful for some reason and I love it that way. Now here is where I veer from the original recipe again... it's a habit of mine.
I don't like a lot of fruit in it. So I wash a hand full of berries and let them dry. I do NOT mix them IN the mixture. After the mixture is mixed with the vanilla, I pour the batter into a round baking dish that I've prepared with a oil spray and spread around the entire pan. Then I PLACE the berries on top in a pattern. This is not necessary, you can can just sprinkle them on, but I like to have them spaced pretty and I have one daughter you despises blueberries so I always leave an area devoid of blueberries for her! :)
Once I have the blueberries on top, I press them lightly into the batter. This way they are not cooking on top, but in the mix. Now the original recipe calls for just a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon on top but I took it a step further. I made a little "crumble" for the top (Topping recipe above) and sprinkled that on top instead. I LOVE cinnamon, but not in some things and fruit and cinnamon just don't go together in my book unless it's apples. So I top my coffee cake with the crumble mixture and bake it all together at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until it's nice a light brown on top and the coffee cake bounces back when you touch it.
It's SO amazing right out of the oven with a nice cup of coffee! I'm still enjoying the lingering flavor in my mouth as I write this! :)
So I hope you enjoy this recipe on a nice rainy weekend at home.
Since this isn't a "Pinterest" recipe but kind of my own, I'll still review it, but will then add it to Pinterest after I've put this up on my blog.
My overall review is:
Preperation: EASY
Directions: I've changed them so much from the original Cooking Light Recipe, but I think they are still easy to follow and hopefully true to my word.. Let me know of that someone!
Presentation: SIMPLE. For a step up on presentation, you can go to your local baking supply store and buy those round paper paper cooking pans for a really nice look and you'll impress your guests for sure!
Flavor: FANTASTIC
Would I make it again: YES, and I have for over 8 years now and every time I get people asking me to make it when they are coming over!
Enjoy!
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