Cinnamon Almond Coffee Cake

First of all, I need to give a big shout out to the Giants for winning the NL West last night!  Can major league baseball inspire breakfast pastry, you ask?  Why yes it can, if that pastry is a coffee cake modeled after the cinnamon-roasted almonds sold at the ballpark.  If you have ever walked past the Emerlad Nut stand at AT&T Park then you know exactly the irresistible scent that I am talking about.  Once I bought a little bag of the nuts at a game and was disappointed to find that the flavor wasn't quite as beguiling as the aroma.  Not so for this moist, delicious coffee cake.  Picture to come when I get home tonight.  GO GIANTS! 

Cake Batter:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup plain almond or rice milk

Crumb Topping:
3/4 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup dairy-free, soy-free margarine (such as Earth Balance Soy Free), softened

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour an 8" square baking pan. 

For crumb topping, place almonds in food processor and process until finely chopped.  Add flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt and pulse to combine.  Pour into bowl and cut in margarine with a fork until evenly mixed.  Set topping aside while you prepare the cake batter.

In medium bowl, combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, almond meal, baking soda and salt; stir well.  In bowl of standing mixer, whisk together the sugar, egg, oil, vanilla, and almond extract until well combined.  With mixer running at medium-low speed, add 1/3 of rice or almond milk.  When almost combined, add half of flour mixture and mix until most of flour is incorporated.  Repeat, ending with the final 1/3 of milk and stirring just until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the batter.  Bake at 350 until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 - 50 minutes.  Let cool before cutting into squares.  You can make this the night before; let cool, cover, and wait until morning to cut into squares.  Makes 9 servings.