Remembering Sunday Mornings as a kid and a fruit filled coffee cake

When I was a kid our family ran papers. Sunday morning paper was maybe the hardest route. We were always greeted at home with fruit filled pastries that dad would buy when we got there. Always so yummy and tasty and a reward for getting the job done. This fruit filled coffee cake is one that can not be passed up 

FRUIT FILLING:

12 ounces of frozen raspberries(I used blueberries and Coleen used finely chopped strawberries)

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbs. cornstarch

CAKE BATTER:

2-1/4 cups flour (I used part whole-wheat)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cups COLD butter, sliced into thin pats

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk (no substitutions)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the fruit filling, heat the fruit, sugar, and cornstarch together over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside while preparing the batter.

For the batter, mix flour, sugar, and butter together with a pastry blender until you have fine crumbs. Remove 1/2 cup of the fine crumbs and set aside for later. To the remaining crumbs add the baking powder, soda, salt, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla, mixing just until batter is moist (do not over-mix).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 10-inch tart pan (I used a 10-inch springform pan instead). Using your fingers, press 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan, pushing the batter evenly across the bottom and one inch up the sides of the pan (flouring your fingertips will help here).

Once you have the batter spread out and pushed up on the edges, gently pour in the fruit filling and spread it around the bottom.With the remaining 1/3 of the batter, place small teaspoon size pieces of batter in an irregular pattern on top of the fruit.I used my fingers to gently spread the batter around more evenly, but it's very important to be careful not to push the batter down into the fruit. You want it "floating" on top of the filling as much as possible.

Finally, sprinkle the reserved crumbs over everything. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.

Enjoy!