Remember the coffee cake from yesterday? The one that took extra long to bake? Well, I have to say, it was so worth the extra twenty-five minutes. It might just be my Sistine Chapel. In a word, unctuous. Extremely easy to make, as well, I might add.
I'm a firm believer in making advance preparations for, you know, just in case. Vestiges of Girl Scout-dom. Which is why I always have in my purse, ever at the ready, the following items: pocket dictionary (for rowdy literary disputes), sewing kit, dental floss (because mangoes love dental pockets) and a lint brush (there are 14 animals in my care-'nuf said). Following this logic, I believe in a well-stocked pantry, just in case, in the middle of your morning, when you have many other chores which need tending to, you decide it's SO time to rouse the ice cream machine from its slumber and crank out some frozen splendor. Or, in this instance, bake up a blueberry & marionberry orange coffee cake. With a well-stocked pantry, you'll have what you need on hand for when the inspiration strikes. This is also the perfect time of the year to source locally grown fruit for coffee cake, or any other baked good, you can truly feel good about. Good for you, good for the farmer.
Blueberry & Marionberry Streusel Coffee Cake,
Streusel Topping
-2 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter
-1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
-1/3 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
-2 tsp. ground cinnamon
-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
-1 c. pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch spring-form pan.
For Streusel topping: In a food processor (or medium bowl if not available), combine butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans. Pulse just until butter is incorporated and nuts are finely minced. If using a bowl, chop nuts in advance and stir in at end after crumbling together other ingredients with a pastry fork or two forks. Set mixture aside.
Coffee cake
-1/2 c. canola oil
-1/2 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
-1/2 c. granulated sugar (I like using Florida Crystals brand; sucanat, a sweetener made from beet juice, also would work well here)
-2 large eggs
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
-1 c. stone-ground whole wheat flour
-1 tsp. baking powder
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1/4 tsp. salt
-2 tsp. grated orange peel (from 1 organic orange)
-1 c. buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt (can also use regular milk to which 1 Tbsp. lemon juice is added; allow to sit 10 minutes before use to curdle)
-2 c. fresh or frozen mixture of blueberries and marion berries (other berries may be substituted)
In a large bowl or using an electric mixer, mix oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Beat until smooth. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately withy buttermilk (or yogurt). Beat until just smooth. Stir in orange peel and berries. Pour into prepared pan and spread streusel on top.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and cake is done in center (center should not jiggle-a knife poked into the center should determine this). Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove sides. Cool completely before serving.
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