Odds and Ends

With all the baking I do, I often have a surplus of ingredients. Obviously, there are things like nuts and jam that don’t need to be used right away, but I attempt – admittedly, I’m not always successful – to use the perishables before they go bad. This week I had some leftover raspberries from the Perfect Party Cake I made for Tuesdays With Dorie (see post below). I enjoy raspberries and would have eaten them plain as a snack or with yogurt for breakfast, but, even after a batch of buttermilk ice cream, I also had some leftover buttermilk from the party cake and I’d had a buttermilk cake on my (never-ending) list of recipes to try.



This Raspberry Buttermilk Cake was in the June issue of Gourmet (they recently wooed me with a $10 a year subscription and I really like the magazine so far) and I have seen it on quite a few blogs as well. You can find the recipe HERE on Epicurious. (I accidentally baked my cake at 350 degrees rather than 400, which was fine, but it didn’t get nice and crunchy on the top. I guess I’ll have to try it again.) This cake is pretty much the polar opposite of the Perfect Party Cake, both wonderful in their own right. The Perfect Party Cake is tall and elegant, while this one is short and cute (particularly if it’s halved and baked in a six-inch pan like mine). As its name suggests, the Perfect Party Cake, with its rich buttercream and multi-steps, is “perfect” for special occasions, but since the Raspberry Buttermilk Cake is very easy to make and not nearly so rich, you can justify making it any time. It would be a good brunch cake or nice served in the late afternoon with coffee or tea. I brought mine to work and my co-workers seemed quite happy that I didn’t do the healthy thing and eat the berries for breakfast. I gave it a 7.5 for Deliciousness and a 2 for Effort, giving it an EDR of 3.75.