Raspberry Summer Cake

I was reading someone’s blog this weekend who linked to Smitten Kitchen’s blog about how to make pancakes. Something I’m determined to master at some point in my life. Mine always turn out overcooked or raw in the middle. Ugh, after mentally memorizing how to make perfect pancakes I decided to catch up on some of her other postings. I came across Strawberry Summer Cake. It sounded easy and we might have gone a little crazy with the juicing and bought way to much. Maybe. I needed to use some raspberries up about 12 pints to be exact.

Raspberry Summer Cake

Adapted, unintentionally, from Smitten Kitchen

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate

1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour (I used cake flour and measured out 188 grams otherwise per cup you add 2 extra tablespoons, I believe)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup (118 ml) milk

1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

1 pound (450 grams) raspberries (SK originally calls for strawberries, I only had raspberry on hand)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch cake pan.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.

(This is where I messed up big time – I know only like 2 steps in. I wasn’t paying attention and I mixed the sugar into the flour, baking powder and salt mixture. I continued to cream the butter by itself and add the egg/milk in and then gradually add in the flour. Not sure what the cake would taste like otherwise but mine is still delicious!)

In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared cake pan. Arrange berries, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges.

It was the perfect dessert with our grilled buffalo chicken tenders and margherita pizza made on the grill. This cake is summer.

Adele

I love your sultry smooth voice and I envy your oh so cool 60’s vibe with the behive, pointed nails, black eyeliner and big lashes.

Juicing

I’ve boughten into the latest fad even though I hate to admit it. I recently watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (which is on instant netflix currently!) and went out hours later and bought $150 worth of fresh fruits and veggies and an $80 juicer to start juicing immediately. Pictured below are the supplies – mangos, spinach, grapes, large cucumbers, red peppers, tomatoes, figs, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Also the juicer is behind the crate of mangos.

The results only 5 days later – I am down 2.3 pounds and feel fantastic. I have replaced my breakfast with a jar of fresh vegetable and fruit juice that I drink slowly most of the morning at work.

I might have bought into the hype but is it a really hype to get more fruits and veggies in my diet? No, I don’t think so. I do have to admit I felt like a hoarder buying all these fruits and veggies but we bought 2 giant bags of spinach and we’ve gone through 1.5 bags in only 5 days.

If anyone has any questions about it feel free to send me a message! Not that I’m an expert but I can share with you about my own experience!

Travel Bug…

Keeps on biting me…I am dreaming of places to go today

Perhaps a warm beautiful island

or beautiful Italy

or maybe Spain

or we could go back to Paris