Blueberry Coffee Cake

Name: Blueberry Coffee Cake
Yield: makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: Cooking spray; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup plus 3 to 5 teaspoons whole milk; 2 large eggs, slightly beaten; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries; 1 cup confectioners’ sugar; 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

December 9, 2011

Ever heard of “loafering”? Obviously, this is a Southern version of “loafing,” a favorite Sunday afternoon occupation. “Loafering” was a term used often in Crystal’s childhood—a word Crystal’s mom used to describe their Sunday afternoon drives and visits with friends and family. Every Sunday, Crystal would climb into the family car with her mom and off they would go. One of their favorite stops was at Crystal’s Great Aunt Cricket and Aunt Doc’s house. (Yep, that is not a typo. When Crystal was a tiny red-haired child, she mistakenly called her Great Uncle Doc “Aunt Doc,” and it stuck! Everyone called him Aunt Doc, and he didn’t mind at all!) Aunt Cricket was the epitome of the Southern hostess, and she always had a pot of coffee brewed and a freshly baked cake on hand. The family would sit around her kitchen table and listen to Aunt Doc tell his outrageous stories, and the cake would always make the tales that much sweeter. This blueberry cake reminds Crystal of those afternoons and “loafering” around with her mom!

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