Shelly's Recipe

BLUEBERRY RICOTTA CHEESE COFFEE CAKE

Category: Coffee Cake

Cake
2 1/3 cups flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, drained

Topping
Reserved crumb mixture
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350. Coat a 13x9 inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture for topping. To remainder, add baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping bowl constantly. Pour into prepared pan.

Blend ricotta, egg, sugar and lemon peel in medium bowl until smooth. Sprinkle blueberries over batter in pan. Gently spread ricotta mixture over blueberries. Combine reserved crumb mixture, nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over top of ricotta layer.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly before cutting.

Variation: Cranberry Ricotta Cheese Coffee Cake: Follow the recipe above, substituting halved cranberries for blueberries and grated orange peel for lemon peel.