Blueberry Ricotta Cheese Coffee Cake

 Hi Ya'll! I actually made this last week, but didn't have a chance to post it due to work and being lazy! I had a wonderfully lazy Saturday watching my poor Oregon Ducks lose to LSU. So sad.. They had better get their act together for the next game!!

Anyways, this coffee cake is amazing! So give it a try!

 Blueberry Ricotta Cheese Coffee Cake

CAKE

2 1/3 cups All Purpose Flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup Shortening

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FILLING

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, drained

TOPPING

Reserved crumb mixture

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for topping. To remainder, add baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping bowl constantly. Pour into prepared pan.

Blend ricotta, egg, sugar and lemon peel in medium bowl until smooth. Sprinkle blueberries over batter in pan. Gently spread ricotta mixture over blueberries. Combine reserved crumb mixture, nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over top of ricotta layer.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly before cutting.

Eat and Enjoy!