'Lis's Best-Ever Blueberry-Almond Snack Cake

Nope, that's not a typo or a new nickname for me!  'Lis is Mark's sister Melissa, and I've blogged about her amazing kitchen talents before.  I'm telling you, all five of Mark's siblings are just as driven as he is - they're all seemingly perfect and constantly doing various sorts of charitable work.  Credit my MIL who did an amazing job raising them! 

Anyway, I've tried many, many blueberry muffin and blueberry coffee-cake type recipes and there is just something about this one.  It's perfect.  The texture is perfect - light but substantial, with a finishing crunch if you sprinkle it with some raw or large-grained sugar before baking.  The flavor is perfect too - just sweet enough, with a hint of almond.  And it's so easy to throw together.  I've hardly been able to stop making it since I first started... and since it works just as well with raspberries, that's my most recent kick.  Anyway, here's the recipe:

Blueberry (or Raspberry) Snack Cake

6 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick), room temp

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4-1/2 tsp almond extract (depends on your tastes)

Sugar for sprinkling (big grain if you can find it)

1/2 - 3/4 cup blueberries (or raspberries)

Heat oven to 350.  Butter and flour an 8x8 square pan (or a pie pan would also provide the right size).  In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a glass measuring cup, combine milk, vanilla, and almond extract.  In a medium bowl mix sugar and butter until blended; add egg, mix again.  Add the flour and milk mixtures, alternating until batter is smooth.  Spread batter evenly into pan and dot with berries.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 35 minutes.

Just before baking.  Sorry - will have to update with a "baked" picture at a later time!

Enjoy!