Real food blogging: Buttermilk Coffee Cake, Any Way You Want It

Writing about how much I love buttermilk reminded me of how much I love buttermilk.  So, since I like to cook (though not as elaborately as my sister), I've been picking up half-gallons buttermilk from Braum's to make waffles.  And then, since we can't be wasting any food around here, I'm forced into making pancakes.  Or biscuits.  Or coffee cake.  Or all three.  A half-gallon goes quite a long way.

It's the coffee cake I want to talk about today*.

Adapted from my favorite magazine, I've been making this coffee cake on repeat, tweaking it every time.

Quick math problem^: the recipe instructs the cake be baked in a 9 in round.  However, I'm in the midst of a super-drawn out move and my 9 in round has been packed for weeks.  So, what do I use?  8 in square or 9 in square?  A prize to the first one who answers in the comments.**

The first time, I used a cup of jam like the original recipe calls for, but I found it too sweet.

Southern Living spread

The second time, I omitted the jam but failed to add any fruit to make up for it, and it was just a tad dry.

Then, I added more fruit, covering the top and almost reaching perfection.  The variety of this cake, with peaches and blueberries and blackberries and strawberries, was quite lovely.

Finally, I incorporated some of the fruit into the batter: perfection!

Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake

The beauty of this coffee cake is that it's rich without too much butter (but some butter, don't you worry).  It's sweet without being overly so.  And its endlessly variable, so a. you can use whatever fruit you have and b. you don't get sick of it.

Any Flavor Buttermilk Coffee Cake

Adapted from the October 2013 Southern Living

Makes: 8 servings; Hands On: 15 minutes; Total: 1 Hour, 5 minutes

2 c. all-purpose flour

3 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. table salt

2 large eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. sugar

4 T butter, melted (original recipe calls for shortening, but I only do real food)
1 1/2 c diced or sliced fresh fruit (berries, peaches, pitted cherries and other soft fruit are excellent choices)
1/4 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. powdered sugar
2 T buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Sift (or fake sift: whisk) first 4 ingredients.  Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk four mixture into egg mixture.***  When well incorporated, lightly stir 1/2 cup of fruit into batter.

2. Pour batter into a lightly greased 9-in round (or a square- see math problem above).  Top with reminder of fruit and chopped nuts.  Sprinkle with 1 t. granulated sugar.

3. Bake at 350 for 38-45 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool.

4. Whisk together powdered sugar and 2 T buttermilk.  Drizzle over warm coffee cake.  (Omit if you want)

5. Take a small taste-tester bite.  End up eating 1/8 of the entire cake.  Cut reminder of the cake into equal servings.

*And how to flip pictures on blogger.  Anyone know?

^I used to teach math.  Sometimes I miss it.  Well, the math I miss.  Sometimes, some of the kids.  Sometimes even the teaching.  But pretty much never the grading and the constant complaints and the panic that the kid doesn't understand a new concept in the first five minutes its presented or the lack of panic that a kid doesn't understand an old concept after a month and the lack of responsibility for one's own learning. 

 Or the talking.  I never miss the talking.

**This may or may not be true.  It probably depends on where you live and how easily I can give you a loaf of (homemade!) bread.

***Taste-test batter despite concerns about raw eggs, if you're not pregnant.  Discover that you omitted the sugar.  Oops!  Add sugar and resume.

Real story.  So glad I'm not pregnant and thus taste-test all batters.  One and a half pints of blueberries almost wasted.