Any Fruit Coffee Cake

Oven at 350º

1 ½ cups chopped, peeled apples,
apricots, peaches, or pineapple; or 1 ½ cups blueberries or raspberries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 beaten egg
½ cup buttermilk or sour milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup all-purpose flour

In a saucepan combine choice of fruit and ¼ cup water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer* about 5 minutes or till tender. Combine ¼ cup of the sugar and the cornstarch. Stir into fruit mixture. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl stir together ½ cup of the sugar, the 1 ½ cups flour, the baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in 4 tablespoons margarine or butter till mixture resembles fine crumbs. Combine egg, buttermilk or sour milk, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Stir just till moistened. Spread half of the batter into an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Spread fruit mixture over batter. Drop remaining batter in small mounds atop filling.

Combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup flour. Cut in remaining 2 tablespoons margarine or buter till mixture resembles fine crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Bake in a 350º oven for 40 to 45 minutes or till golden brown. Serve warm.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Coffee Cake: Prepare as above, except substitute ¾ cup fresh or frozen cut-up rhubarb and ¾ cup frozen unsweetened whole strawberries for the fruit.

*Note: Do not simmer raspberries.

Recipe from Betty Crocker's 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook