Blue-Raspberry Mornings

Sometimes you want cake for breakfast. We're all friends here. You can admit it.

There are those mornings after a kick-you-in-the-crotch-spit-on-your-neck-fantastic evening, where you just need anything to remind convince you of all the bliss this world has to offer. In these extreme cases, you go hork down two slices of chocolate cake! Go on! Or better yet, just take the morning off to sleep in until your tshirt & jeans lunch date with a colossal plate of French fries. You do what you gotta do. The peanut gallery will support you.

About eight notches below that on the mood barometer is the morning where you wake up feeling downright playful & there is no need to justify eating cake. This cake! After all, it's loaded with more fruit & less sugar than a bowl of 'Loops. Which, coincidentally, is just what Mr. A said this filling fruity cake reminded him of!

Very Berry Breakfast Cake, Adapted from Alexandra Cooks
Serves 6

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

½ buttermilk*

1½ cup blueberries (I mixed regular & wild blueberries)

1 cup raspberries

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9" square baking dish & set aside.
2. Cream the butter & sugar until light & fluffy. (Take a couple minutes.)
3. Beat in the egg & vanilla until combined.
4. Toss the blueberries with ¼ of the flour then whisk together the remaining flour, cinnamon, baking powder & salt in a separate bowl.
5. Beat the dry mixture into the butter in increments, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries. 
6. Spread the (thick) batter into the pan. Lay the raspberries atop the cake & push in slightly. For a nice textured look, I sprinkle this spiffy sugar across the cake.
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes using the toothpick test for doneness. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

*Note: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make it! Add ½ tbsp of white vinegar to ½ cup milk (low fat & lactose free will work) then let it sit for 5 minutes. Mind you, the consistency & tang of real buttermilk really ramps up recipes so use it in its true form whenever you can.

One more thing...have a great day on purpose!