Cake: it's what's for breakfast

Remember that Bill Cosby sketch from the 80s, "Dad is great, for breakfast we eat chocolate cake"?  I never thought that sounded so irresponsible.  I mean, is it any worse than doughnuts?  However, one can make that cake a little healthier so that there is at least some redeeming nutritional content.  I present to you: Blueberry Breakfast Cake.  Enjoy it slowly, with lots of coffee, while lingering over the newspaper just a little longer than you think you should.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Serves 12

1 ½ cups buttermilk
½ cup steel-cut oats
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
¼ cup chopped pecans, optional

Combine buttermilk and oats; cover and refrigerate 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg, stirring vigorously until fluffy.  Add the oat mixture, flours, flax seeds, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix into a smooth dough.  Gently fold in the blueberries (this is easier if they’re frozen) and pecans if using.

Pour batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with butter or cooking spray.  Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack before cutting.