Blueberry Coffee Cake

Um....so yeah. This didn't last very long in my house. I really need to have a more formal process for getting rid of all the baked goods I produce while living alone. That is, I need to alter my process, which often consists entirely of me just eating it all. Thank goodness for co-workers and friends who are willing to help me out!

Recently, I got nostalgic for this cake that my cousin and I made when she visited last year. I remembered it being pretty fantastic, and I also remember us absolutely demolishing it within a day or two because it was so good. We found a way to eat some at almost every meal. And um, sometimes not at meals. 

I can now confirm that the recipe holds up to my memory - this was absolutely delicious! It's a great recipe to make for a lazy mid-morning brunch or for dessert. And best of all, it's based on a ratio, meaning you can substitute nearly any flour you like as long as you keep the weight the same (but just be careful with coconut flour, which notoriously sucks up more than its fair share of liquids in baked goods; if you use it, you'll need to add more liquid to this recipe). 

*Please note that all measurements given below in cups are approximate, as I used my kitchen scale to make this cake and used an online converter to figure out the volume measurements.

4 eggs
8 oz. white sugar (~1 cup)
3 oz. Earth Balance Buttery Spread (3/4 stick or 6 tbsp.)
5 oz. applesauce (unsweeted, natural) (~1/2 cup)
1.5 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
3 oz. tapioca starch (~3/4 cup)
2 oz. sorghum (~1/2 cup)
3 oz. brown rice flour (~1/2 cup)
(OR 8 oz. of your favorite gf flour blend)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 lb. blueberries

For crumble topping:
4 - 6 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or more to your own taste)
2 tsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray a glass 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium or large mixing bowl, beat the eggs (preferably with an electric mixer) with the sugar until it's frothy.  Add the Earth Balance, applesauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix until it's well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum.  Add about 1/3 cup at a time to the wet ingredients, beating on medium speed until the batter is very smooth.

Pour the batter into the 9" x 13" pan.  Press the berries lightly into the top of the batter.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and Earth Balance.  Mix with your fingers until it's finely crumbly.  Sprinkle the cake generously with the cinnamon sugar crumble topping.

Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for as long as you can stand it before eating a piece (we lasted 20 minutes).  Keep refrigerated once cooled.  It's fantastic if you warm it slightly in the microwave before eating.