Blackberry Coffee Cake

Living in the Pacific Northwest during the months of August through September, I get excited about joining the crowd going to the farms for picking all kinds of berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.. It is fun for the whole family, especially for the kids. Blackberries are the only ones that you don't have to pay for because they are everywhere around the state – the parks, the wetlands, and even beside the roadways. People pick blackberries and make pie, jam or freeze them, so people can enjoy these berries all year round. Since I moved here from Chicago a few years ago, I have learned how to make a lot of recipes calling for this tangy, crunchy fruit, And the good thing is it's free. Blackberry coffee cake is one of my favorite breakfast or snacks at anytime of the day.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup of liquid consisting of:
4oz apple sauce and 4oz melted butter or vegetable oil *
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups fresh blackberries rinsed and drained
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven 350°
Combine blackberries with 1/2 cup of sugar; stir to coat the berries and set aside.
Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and 3/4 cup of sugar in mixing bowl.
In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, the 3/4 cup of liquid, and vanilla until smooth. Pour this mixture into the flour and mix well(do not overmix).
Pour the cake batter into a 8 by 10 inch rectangular dish.
Top the cake batter with berries and gently spread to cover the entire surface of the cake batter.
Put the cake into the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
After it cools, reward yourself with a piece of this coffee cake and a cup of latte. Enjoy!

* You can replace this combination liquid with 3/4 cup of milk