Thursday, July 2, 2009

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.

10 comments:

Pamela said...

I was just recently wooed with the same $10/year subscription price. I am waiting patiently for my first issue to arrive. This cake loos perfect for anything and anytime of day. Love it.

Creative Classroom Core said...

A perfect cake for afternoon tea! Love it!

Katiecakes said...

Awh, it certainly is short and cute. I love raspberries in cakes!

Katie xox

Melissa said...

That cake sounds wonderful! I love raspberries and I bet they're delicious in this!

Leslie said...

Oh my, this looks delicious! I also have leftover buttermilk (but I'd have to make several of these to use it all up) and I do have cherries....hmmm....you're a bad influence, Margot!

JoAnn Freda said...

This looks like the perfect cake for me to make tomorrow morning. I bought 6 baskets of raspberries at Costco today and I already had the buttermilk. Looks great, can't wait.

Sarah said...

I made this cake a couple of months ago - though it was a strawberry yogurt version - and I loved it. "So easy and so delicious! Yours looks so yummy, I want to go make it again!

Unknown said...

Yum, that looks so good! That cake is on my list too after seeing it on quite a few blogs recently. I have trouble using up perishables sometimes too - it's tough when there are all kinds of odds and ends hanging around :)

Megan said...

Hmmm - I have raspberries, and I have buttermilk.

Sounds like I'm good to go!!

Jules Someone said...

I saw this on Smitten Kitchen, and I've made it twice already. It is so simple and delicious!