Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Most days, my kids are up for school at 5:30 a.m.   What!!!  Yup.  Their bus will arrive at 6:20 to take their little fannies off to get an education.  Most of the time hubby gets up at that time, bright eyed and bushy tailed, singing, joking around.....well, happy (abnormal behavior if you ask me)!  I, on the other hand, need to be coaxed into the day; please don't talk to me before I've made a cup of coffee and settled into my meditation chair; it is there that I can come to the realization that I am awake and not having some sort of nightmare about being up so early.   

Because the kids are on the move at that hour, they will usually grab a quick bowl of cereal while getting ready.  Not the sweet stuff, to their dismay.  On occasion I can, surprisingly, gather myself together to the point that I can whip up something that will stick with them a little longer, but those mornings are rare.

What I do like to do, however, is ready a snack that they can nibble on to help them through the long haul until lunch.  This is a great one, and the kideroos think it's yummy.

Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Borrowed from alexandracooks.com

Serves 6-8

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk

* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.