Positively Monday and Positively Blueberry Coffee Cake

EEKS!   I forgot Monday is supposed to be my positively Monday day so I am adding it to the blueberry coffee cake post.

Monday
For the first time in a very long time, Mom went to her usual Monday activity and had a good time. There were no complaints about anything, which never happens. Huge win!

Tuesday
I had a truly wonderful Valentine's lunch with Mom and My Beloved Sister.

Wednesday
I did not get home for the evening until shortly before 6 and it was still light outside!

Thursday
While I was out driving I saw a yard filed with blooming daffodils.

Friday
I finished getting Mom's tax info ready to take to her accountant.  Did I mention FINISHED!

Saturday
I caught up on the laundry and started getting my duds in order for a trip next week, plus I managed to use all the accumulated kefir during my baking spree!

Sunday
This was another Sunday TheHub did not have to go into the office just to get things in order for the next week, so we went to church together again. It is a great way for me to start my week!

I will be traveling this week so my positives will have a different slant to them.  It should be interesting!

Now back to the blueberries!


What do you do when you begin a baking frenzy and realize that not only do you have a ton of kefir to use but you also have a couple of clamshells of blueberries in the refrigerator.  Normally I would look at this as a gift.  I mean, who doesn't want to start the week with enough fruit for a couple of days? This would be a dream come true for me most of the time, but we are leaving early Tuesday for a week long vacation. And that means we would either have to eat tons of blueberries quickly or do something with them.  I have made this coffee cake using whatever excess fruit we have and I also knew I could substitute thick kefir for the yogurt. So game on!

Blueberry (actually any berry or fruit) Coffee Cake

2 cups  unbleached flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I used turbanido)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup kefir or yogurt
1 cup blueberries (You can use fresh or frozen or canned, drain and rinse them)

Streusel topping
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
3 teaspoons melted butter
large pinch of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350º.  Grease an 8x8 baking pan.

Mix the dry coffee cake ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) and set aside.
Make the streusel topping and set aside  (Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir to mix. Add the butter  and stir until it is the consistency of crumbs.)

Coffee cake
Beat the  butter and sugar in a large bowl until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and kefir until  the batter is smooth. Add the flour mix and stir until it is just combined.  Gently fold in the blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the topping and pop it into the oven for 30-40 minutes.  Test for doneness with a toothpick.  Cool a bit before serving.

When I made this I was in the middle of a bakeathon, but I am eating no sweets and TheHub was already full from eating  chocolate cake.  I was wondering what to do with it (freeze? refrigerate?) when TheHub had a great idea.  He did not have to go into the office Sunday morning and suggested we take the coffee cake, some paper plates, plastic forks and napkins and share it with our Sunday School class.  Perfect solution! They enjoyed it and I got rid of most of it.  I think I have 2 small squares left and they will either be eaten Monday or frozen. Regardless, it was a great way to get rid of it  share fellowship.

It is a really nice, very moist, and delicious coffee cake that is about as easy as anything can be.  I have made it through the years with strawberries, raspberries, fresh crushed pineapple, peaches, and plums.  They are all good in the cake, but I honestly prefer the blueberries or raspberries.  So if you find yourself with excess fruit you need to use right away, this is a truly delicious method of disposal!