Low Fat Eggless Blueberry Coffee Cake

5 from 22 votes

A low fat eggless blueberry coffee cake that bakes up soft and tender with bursts of juicy berries in every bite. The slivered almond and sugar crumble on top adds a light crunch that makes it feel just a little extra special.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Cooling Time10

Total Time55

Method: Baking

Course: Cakes

Servings: 9 Cake Slices

Ingredients

1 cup All-Purpose Flour
½ cup Sugar
¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
a pinch Salt
¼ cup Unsweetened Applesauce (dry measuring)
½ cup Buttermilk (I used 1%)
2 tablespoons Butter melted
½ tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Almond Extract
1 cup Blueberries Fresh or Frozen
½ cup Almonds Sliced
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar (I used dark)
¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) for at least 15 minutes. Grease an 8 inch square baking dish. In a small bowl, combine sliced almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon to make the topping, then set aside. Melt the butter on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in the oven while it preheats.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl or a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, melted butter, vinegar, extracts, and applesauce. Whisk until well blended. If the butter is still warm, the mixture may look slightly curdled, which is fine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Fold in ⅔ cup blueberries. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them before adding, as the color may bleed into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining blueberries, then sprinkle the almond mixture over it. Tap the pan lightly a couple of times so the topping settles into the batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool the pan on a wire rack.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Then carefully remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to the wire rack to cool completely. Since the cake is light, handle it gently while removing.

Notes

The cake stays soft and light at room temperature, very similar to a cake made with eggs. When stored in the refrigerator, it tends to firm up slightly.
Do not leave the cake in the pan for too long after baking, as the trapped heat can create moisture and make the bottom soggy. It helps to transfer it to a wire rack after a short cooling time. You can line the pan with parchment paper before adding the batter to make removal easier.
This recipe works well even without the blueberries and can be used as a simple eggless sponge cake base.

Taste & Texture

I have baked quite a bit over the past year, and this low fat blueberry coffee cake would easily make it to my top five. It turned out that good. My husband even went back for a second serving, which almost never happens, so that says a lot. I did not have almond extract on hand, but I can imagine it would add an even nicer flavor.
This cake does not rise very high, about ½ to ¾ inch, but the texture is soft and fluffy, which is not always the case with eggless cakes. The vinegar really helps with that light texture. The sweetness is just right, and the almonds on top add a pleasant crunch. Since the cake is quite light, handle it gently when removing it from the pan so it does not break.

Nutrition