A Little Sweetness

Another Valentine's Day has arrived with all its heralds of the holiday...chocolates, roses, hearts, red and pink for miles.  I'm bringing you something sweet with jammy and buttery goodness.  Keep this in mind for a birthday, a dinner party, weekend brunch, or yes, even Valentine's day.

The lastest issue of the King Arthur Flour catalog was in my mailbox a few weeks ago and in it was their recipe for pound cake.  When was the last time you had pound cake?  I remember an Entenmann's pound cake was frequently in the house when I was growing up.  Rich with butter, it was perfect either topped with strawberries and whipped cream or just on its own, where you could savor the simplicity of it.

I kept thinking about that recipe and after I found a set of little heart cake pans while out shopping one day, I knew that was the impetus needed to finally bake that cake.  Of course, I had to add a little of me to the cake and decided that making a filled cake would be the way to go.  The great thing is that you can easily use a store bought jam, or take the extra few minutes and make your own.

King Arthur Flour Original Pound Cake Recipe

Quick Strawberry Preserves
Makes about a cup

1-2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup sugar
Juice of a quarter lemon
1/4 cup water

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil.  Once the mixture boils, lower the heat and allow to simmer until the fruit begins to break down.  Feel free to help the process by crushing the fruit with a wooden spoon.  When the mixtures has reduced by half, turn off the heat and allow to cool.  It will thicken slightly as it cools.  

For the cake:

You can make a classic loaf cake or a single 9-inch layer (maybe even a heart shaped layer).  Slice the cake in half and spread a fairly thick layer of jam/preserves on the bottom half, gently replacing the top.  Dust with confectioners' sugar or even a layer of whipped cream.  This cake also gets better if you let the preserves seep into the cake, kind of like a jelly donut.  

Just Because...

There are days when you want to bake a cake.  Not because there's a birthday to celebrate, a dinner party to bring dessert to, a cocktail party that needs a sweet ending...but just because.  Just because you feel like cake, but not a fussy cake.  No buttercream, 7-minute, or Swiss meringue frosting needed.  No need to use any appliance more modern than a wooden spoon to mix the batter.  The kind of cake that is perfectly acceptable as breakfast, is close to perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon, satifies that craving for something sweet before bed.

Also...apologies for the radio silence.  I'm looking to get back to regular postings even though I have taken it upon myself to foster more kittens this Spring.  My hands overfloweth with little balls of adorable fur.

In the meantime, make this cake.  Please.


Raspberry Yogurt Cake
Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe
Makes one 8-inch round cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup raspberry preserves or jam
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used low-fat)
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
10x sugar for dusting
Butter and flour for greasing cake pan

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan (I also like to line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper), and in a small bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients well with a whisk.  Gradually add the flour mixture until combined, but don't over-mix.  Electric/stand mixer not necessary, a wooden spoon will work just fine.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes in the cake pan before turning out onto a cooling rack.  Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

Not a Fluke

Or The Summer of Plums.  I love stone fruit season and we are now right at the tail end of it.  Fall is officially here, but I'm holding on for a little bit longer before jumping headfirst into the season of apples, apples, apples, pomegranates, and more apples.

While I usually cannot eat enough nectarines and peaches over the Summer, this year I was a little disappointed.  There were great fruits every now and again, but only every now and again.  Plums, though?  I had days upon days filled with black plums, red plums, a pluot here and there, and even green plums.  At season's end, I'm thrilled to find Italian prune plums (also called Empress plums, though these are a little larger) in the stores and markets.  Not typically an eating plum, I personally love the slight tartness when you bite into one that's not overripe.  I love the bright citron flesh hiding underneath the silver wax bloomed dark purple skins.

This recipe won't be for everyone.  Orange blossom water lends a distinct floral (some might say, perfumey) undertone.  If you're totally against it, you could substitute a little almond flavoring, or even a touch of orange.  But...I think the orange blossom is a small enough amount that you won't feel as though you're chewing on a bouquet.  Mind you, I am the girl who loves rose-flavored candies and can happily work through a pack of Choward's violet gum in no time.

Plum and Orange Blossom Preserves
Makes about a cup

3 cups Italian/Empress plums, chopped (about 6-8)
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp orange blossom water

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring all ingredients to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Lower heat and cook until reduced by about a third, 20-25 minutes.  Preserves will thicken a bit.  Store in a glass jar.  This will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator.  The possibilities?  On toast.  On French toast, instead of maple syrup (same with waffles).  Mixed with plain  yogurt and topped with granola.  Topping vanilla ice cream.  Mmm hmm...