This scrumptious coffee cake recipe has a crumbly pecan topping and is speckled with blueberries or raspberries. You’ll never guess there’s apple in the berry coffee cake: It replaces some of the butter found in most coffee cakes and adds a decidedly sweet taste and moist crumb. This is a great recipe to serve at brunch and can be made the day before.

Pecan-Berry Coffee Cake

Serves 16

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 1/2 hours

For the cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour or white whole-wheat flour, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, divided

3 tablespoons cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons canola oil

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 cup low-fat milk

3 tablespoons lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups blueberries or raspberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)

3/4 cup finely chopped peeled apple

For the topping:

2 tablespoons cold butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch-square pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Lightly coat the foil with cooking spray.

2. To prepare cake: Whisk 1 cup flour, the cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat softened butter and the oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat on medium-high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, milk, lemon zest and vanilla; beat on medium-high until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until incorporated.

3. Place berries and apple in a small bowl, sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons flour and toss very gently to coat. Sprinkle the fruit over the batter and very gently fold in until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.

4. To prepare topping: Combine cold butter and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. With two knives or a pastry blender, cut them together until the butter is in small pieces and uniform crumbles form. Add pecans and toss until evenly incorporated. Sprinkle the topping over the batter.

5. Bake the cake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the nuts are a deep brown, 50 to 55 minutes.

6. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours. Lift it out of the pan, using the edges of the foil, onto a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares. Use a spatula to lift the cake from the foil.

Make-ahead tips: Bake, cool, cover in the pan and hold at room temperature for up to one day. Before serving, unwrap and heat at 300 F for about 20 minutes.

Recipe nutrition per serving: 208 Calories, Total Fat: 12 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 33 mg, Carbohydrates: 24 g, Fiber: 2 g, Total Sugars: 15 g, Added Sugars: 13 g, Protein: 3 g, Sodium: 116 mg, Potassium: 77 mg, Folate: 29 mcg, Calcium: 37 mg

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)