TasteFood

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Sunday at the farmers market means lots of blueberries at this time of year. I made a blueberry tart last weekend that was a big hit. This weekend I am keeping it rustic and simple, and will set aside a few blueberries to make a Blueberry Crumb Cake. This recipe is humble and homey. I blend whole wheat and white flour and use brown sugar in place of granulated sugar, lending richness and texture to the cake. Lemon zest, a no-fail partner with blueberries, lightens and brightens the flavor. Serve this cake for brunch or tea along with a pitcher of lemony iced tea.
 

Blueberry Crumb Cake

For the crumb topping:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold, in pieces

For the cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups blueberries, divided

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a square baking pan.
  
Prepare crumb topping: Mix flour, sugars and salt in a bowl. Work butter in with fingers or pulse with a food processor to form a clumpy texture. Set aside.
 
Prepare cake: Mix flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Mix butter and brown sugar together in a bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk eggs and sour cream together in a medium bowl. Mix 1/3 dry ingredients into the butter and sugar. Mix in 1/2 of the eggs. Repeat process finishing with last 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Stir in 1 cup blueberries. Pour batter baking pan. Top with remaining blueberries. Sprinkle crumb topping over blueberries. Bake in oven until a knife inserted in center comes clean, about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The flavors will develop as the cake cools.)

If you like this, you might enjoy these recipes from TasteFood:

 Blood Orange and Olive Oil Cake

 Chocolate Coconut Cookie Bars

Ginger Pear Streusel Cake

or these blueberry recipes from the foodblogs:

Apple Blueberry Crumble Bars from Farmgirl Fare 
Blueberry Banana Cake from the Kitchn
Blueberry Granola from Cupcake Project
Blueberry Buttermilk Panna Cotta from Delicious Days

 

  
  

Lemon Curd and a Lemony Recipe Roundup

When life hands you a crate of lemons what do you make? I reflected on this question recently, since I was handed a crate with 100 lemons. They were leftovers from a middle school outing in which I participated as a kitchen assistant. Aside from spending time with my daughter and her class in beautiful Mendocino, this crate of lemons was a highlight of the trip. For me, 100 lemons are far more than leftovers - they are a gift.

The first recipe I tackled was Lemon Curd, one of my favorite food products. Lemon Curd is delicious as a garnish with fruit, meringues, cakes and breads. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, and also freezes beautifully. I like to make my curd especially lemony, and manage to slip in an entire cup of freshly squeezed juice, as well as a heaping tablespoon of zest. I prefer to keep the sugar content on the conservative side so that the citrus can sparkle.

6 lemons down, 94 to go.
 

   

Lemon Curd
Makes about 2 cups

8 large egg yolks, whites reserved for another use
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Combine egg yolks and sugar in a heavy noncorrodible saucepan and whisk together. Add sugar, lemon juice, butter and salt. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. As the butter melts continue stirring until the curd begins to thicken. Do not let the curd boil; if it begins to give off steam, briefly remove pan from heat, stirring constantly. Once the curd thickly coats the back of a wooden spoon, strain the curd through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl and cool. The curd may be refrigerated up to two weeks, or frozen up to 2 months.
 

What else can I make with lemons? Here is an inspiring recipe round-up from the foodblogs showcasing many possiblities: 

Greek Lemon Chicken from Kalyn's Kitchen
Pan-Fried Lemon Chicken Nuggets from Just Bento
Chinese Lemon Chicken from A Year of Slow Cooking
Chicken Pasta with Lemon Parmesan Sauce from Dianasaur Dishes

Baked Salmon with Lemon Caper Vinaigrette from Life's Ambrosia
Shrimp Linguine with Lemon Basil Sauce from Dine and Dish
Tilapia with Lemon and Dill from For the Love of Cooking 
Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce from Greedy Gourmet
 
Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta from Smitten Kitchen
Indian Lemon Brown Rice from Lisa's Kitchen
Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Garlic from A Veggie Venture
Potato, Green Bean Salad with Lemon and Basil from FatFree Vegan Kitchen 

Popcorn with Brown Butter, Rosemary and Lemon from Andrea's Recipes
Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette from Herbivoracious
Lemon Aioli from Panini Happy
Limoncello from Local Lemons

Lemon Lavender Cookies from Elana's Pantry
Vegan Lemon Bars from Wasabimon
Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes from Two Peas and Their Pod
Rosemary Lemon Cookies from Pete Bakes!
Lemon Granita from Pinch My Salt
Triple Layer Lemon Cake from Use Real Butter

And more from the TasteFood archives:
Asparagus with Lemon and Olive Oil
Pearl Couscous Salad
Blueberry Lemon Crostata
Lemon Cheesecake with Strawberries
Lemon Crème Brûlée
Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Lemon Mint Salsa Verde
Lemon Curd Tart
Smoked Salmon Tartare
Seared Sea Scallops with Cilantro Gremolata and Pea Purée
Spring Pea and Ricotta Torta with Lemon and Mint
Moroccan Spiced Chicken under a Brick
Bruschetta with Mixed Spring Greens, Lemon and Ricotta Salata

In Season: Blood Orange and Olive Oil Cake

Blood oranges are in season in California. I never know if I should eat them or just look at them. Beautifully mottled in crimson on the outside, and strikingly hued in magenta, orange and burgundy within, they are a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. 

Native to Sicily, these orange gems have found their way around the world to eager consumers. In the US they grow from December to May, and now is the time to indulge in these citrus wonders. Tart and sweet with a hint of raspberry, their unique flavor complements sweet and savory dishes. 

This week we have been in blood orange heaven. I received 2 brimming bags of blood oranges from a friend who has a grove of citrus trees on her property. It's all she can do to harvest all of her fruit, and is always looking for takers. How could I say no?  Aside from eating the fruit straight up and juiced, blood oranges have found their way into salads, salsas, sauces and dressings in our meals of late. Yesterday I made a Blood Orange and Olive Oil Cake, not only with the citrus from my friend's property, but with the olive oil her family makes from their olive trees. With all this homegrown love, I immediately thought of GYO: Grow Your Own, the foodblogging event created by Andrea's Recipes and hosted this month by House of Annie. This is my contribution: Happy Spring!
 

  

Blood Orange and Olive Oil Cake

Makes one loaf

Finely grated zest of two blood oranges
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup fruity olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. Butter a loaf pan. Add zest to sugar in a large bowl and mix well to incorporate. Stir in buttermilk and juice. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well with each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl. Whisk into eggs. Fold in olive oil a little at a time. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until golden on top and center of a knife comes clean when inserted in the middle, about 1 hour. Remove and cool on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. The flavors will develop if the cake can sit for several hours or overnight.

You might enjoy these other recipes with blood oranges from TasteFood:

Grilled Feta with Blood Orange, Red Pepper and Mint Salsa  

 Mint and Feta Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Balsamic Blood Orange Sauce 

Roasted Red Beet, Blood Orange and Ginger Soup

and these recipes with blood oranges from the foodblogs:
Blood Orange Cocktail from The Hungry Mouse
Blood Orange Tart from Lottie and Doof
Blood Orange Pots de Creme from Seriously Good
Pomegranate and Blood Orange Sorbet from Recipe Girl

   

Mini-Dried Fruit and Nut Cakes

This weekend we will decorate and light our Christmas tree.  In true Scandinavian fashion, our tree has live candles placed on it.  Traditionally, the candles are first lit on Christmas eve (julaften) when Father Christmas surreptitiously arrives during the evening feast and places gifts under the tree.  We like to buck tradition, however, and light our candles at least once before the eve.  I know, I know, it's not how-things-are-done, but we just can't contain ourselves.  The tree is just so beautiful all lit up with glowing candles, and we like to share that experience with our friends. 

While we decorate our tree we will prepare gløgg and aebleskivers and some other holiday cakes.  Some friends will come by, and at the end of the afternoon, when dusk sets in, we will light the candles. While we watch the candles burn down, we'll enjoy a glass of gløgg along with some sweet treats like these Mini-Dried Fruit an Nut Cakes.

These cakes are lighter and fresher than the traditional Christmas fruitcake. They are studded with dried apricots, raisins and cherries which add a natural combination of sweetness and tartness.  I like to make them bite-sized, so there is plenty of room for other treats, and even the wariest fruitcake-eater may be encouraged to have a go at them.

 

Mini-Dried Fruit and Nut Cakes

You can mix the dried fruit to your taste.  I like the combination of tart apricots with sweet raisins.
 
Makes approx. 24

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves 
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 egg
Grated zest of 2 oranges
1/4 cup brandy or rum
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup yellow raisins

Preheat oven to 325 F. (170 C.)  Line a miniature muffin tin with paper liners.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, all-spice and ginger in a bowl.  Stir to combine well.
Beat butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add molasses and egg and mix well.  Mix in orange zest. Add flour in thirds, alternating with the brandy.  Stir in nuts and fruit.  Spoon batter into muffin cups.  Bake in oven until cakes spring back to the touch, about 15 minutes. Transfer tin to rack to cool completely.  Remove cakes.  
Cakes can be made up to one week in advance.  Cover and refrigerate until use. Serve at room temperature. 

You might enjoy these other treats with a glass of gløgg:

Apple Brandy Cake with Caramel Sauce

Russian Teacake Cookies (Snowballs) 

 

Chocolate Oblivion Cookies

Or try these delicious fruitcake variations from the Foodblogs:
Dundee Fruitcake from What's for Lunch Honey 
Panforte di Sienna from Andrea Meyers
Apricot Cashew Fruitcake from Ward Street Bistro
Russian Fruit Cake from Cafe Chocolada

  

Banana Cake

Tried and true, Banana Cake (or bread, depending on your perspective) has figured prominently in our home as a baked treat.  The kids love it, as do the adults, and in every country we have lived, bananas have been readily available in the markets.  I have made variations over the years, adding wheat germ and oats for added fiber and nutrients, coconut for a tropical twist, even chocolate for those cravings of, well, chocolate. This recipe is the base recipe I rely on and come back to time and again.  It's moist, not overly sweet, and keeps in the refrigerator for 4 days.  Actually, that's a guess, because it never lasts that long. 

Banana Cake
Makes one loaf

3/4 cup (150 g.) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150 g.) light brown sugar
3 eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
1/3 cup (80 ml.) sour cream or Greek-style whole milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups (220 g.) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.)
Butter a loaf pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
Beat butter and sugar until they are light and creamy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Mix in bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Add to bananas and stir to combine well.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake in oven until knife comes clean, about one hour.  Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan.

Try these variations:

Tropical Twist:  Add 1/2 cup flaked, unsweetened coconut to dry ingredients.  Sprinkle additional tablespoon coconut on top of cake before baking.

More Fiber:  Reduce flour to 1 3/4 cups.  Add 1/2 cup oats and 2 tablespoons wheat germ to dry ingredients.

Chocolate Boost:  Add 1 cup dark chocolate chips to batter before pouring into loaf pan.