A friend gave me some Wild Maine Blueberries – 4 pints to be exact. I knew right away that I would make PIE, but I also LOVE coffee cake. If done right, it is tender and moist, and mouthwateringly delicious. So, I started looking online for a good recipe and decided to try out Ree Drummond’s Blueberry Coffee Cake (Original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/blueberry-coffee-cake.html). I have to say, I normally default to someone on the Food Network and/or Cooking Channel;  I could watch the Food Network and Cooking channels all day long if I left myself.

I find the more simple the ingredients the better the taste, and it is always easier to make something if I don’t have to run out and buy special ingredients. I laugh often when a friend will ask me for a recipe and I start the answer with, “It’s so easy … ” They never believe me, but it’s true. If a recipe is too complicated and takes a ton of time to make, I won’t make it. The truth is I just don’t have time, not that it isn’t a recipe worth making or won’t taste amazing, but I just don’t have time. I usually bake late at night after everyone has gone to bed and it is just me and my mixer. Many sleepless nights are filled with heavenly aromas, beaters for licking and treats for my family, co-workers and friends.

This recipe had ingredients I already had on hand (thanks to my friend I even had FRESH blueberries) so it was a no brainer. This recipe will definitely get added to my stash at home, as my daughters were begging for seconds!

Ingredients List for Cake:
5 tbsps. unsalted butter, softened – Ree’s recipe calls for salted butter
2 c. AP flour
2 heaping tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 lg. egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract – high quality if possible, it really does make a difference
3/4 c. milk – I used skim
2 c. fresh blueberries

Ingredients List for Topping:
1/2 c. AP flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter – Ree’s recipe calls for salted butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Directions for the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 in. baking pan with butter or shortening. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon & salt to a medium bowl & stir to combine. Set aside. Cream together butter & sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg & vanilla; mix until just combined. Add dry mixture that you set aside & milk, alternating, & mix until totally incorporated. DO NOT OVER BEAT or your coffee cake won’t be crumbly and tender. Stir in the blueberries until evenly distributed. Pour batter into prepared pan and gently smooth out to reach sides of pan.

Directions for the topping: Combine flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon & salt in a medium bowl & cut together using a pastry cutter. I used my fingers to combined, which gave me a smaller crumb topping. Sprinkle over the top of the batter.

Bake 40-45 mins. or until cake is golden brown. Often oven temps. and times will vary, so I suggest using the light in your oven to check on the coffee cake around 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and ENJOY!