It was a cool, but beautiful spring day outside and we had friends coming over to play... It doesn't get much better than that!
Now, I really am all about making excuses to make coffee cake, but I think a playdate is actually a legitimate one, don't you? :o)
And we did a pretty good job of finishing off the whole pan... even the picky little kiddos loved it!
(And I realized several hours after I made it that I totally baked it at the wrong temperature - preggo brain attack - but it still turned out great, and will be even better for those of you that are not currently afflicted with pregnancy brain and can actually follow directions!) :o)
I had planned to make this one a blackberry coffee cake, but I realized that I didn't have as many blackberries in the freezer as I thought...
So I opened a bag of mixed berries from Costco and it was their turn to shine!
Cardamom Berry Crumb Coffee Cake
makes 9 servings
Ingredients:
for the crumble topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional
for the cake:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
3 cups frozen mixed berries
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease a 9" square pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the topping ingredients, except for the pecans, and mix together with a fork until crumbly; Stir in the pecans and set aside.
In another medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom.
In a large bowl, cream together the remaining butter and sugar. Blend in the egg and vanilla until smooth. Blend in the flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Fold in the bluberries. (The dough is quite stiff, so be patient as you're folding in the berries! Don't mush them up!)
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the crumble topping.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool, and cut into 9 large squares.
Serve warm, with extra butter on top, of course! ;o)
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Well, what are you waiting for?
Think up a good excuse and get baking!!
