Sweet Corn Coffeecake with Strawberries & Blackberries

The one downside to buying fresh berries is that they don’t last long. You get two, maybe three, prime eating with whipped cream days – and then what? No sense in letting them go to waste, I say.

The Sweet Corn Coffeecake shown here is one of my go-to recipes when I want to put super ripe berries to good use. Made with yogurt, olive oil and lemon zest it’s a slightly sweet cake that compliments the natural sweetness of the berries. Cornmeal adds a slight crunch, and though you could dust the finished product with confectioners sugar I usually find the cake doesn’t need it. Use whatever berries you have on hand – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries – and feel free to substitute clementine or orange zest for the lemon.

This cake takes about 10 minutes to put together, then bakes for 45 minutes. Minimal effort for maximum satisfaction.

Sweet Corn Coffeecake with Strawberries & Blackberries

Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison
Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal, any color (I used yellow cornmeal)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup lowfat, plain yogurt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon, packed)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup strawberries, stems removed and sliced in half vertically
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• Confectioners sugar, optional

Frozen berries will work well in this recipe too.

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch springform cake pan or 8-inch square pan with PAM, or another non-stick baking spray. Dust pan with flour, then tap off excess.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a second bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Quickly add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring to combine. Scrape into the pan. Scatter the berries over the top and bake in the center of the oven until the cake is browned and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 minutes.

Allow cake to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove the rim of the springform pan, if applicable. Serve cake warm, dusted with confectioners sugar if you like.