Cakes

Blueberry Almond Cake

1 stick butter, melted

1 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ C. sliced almonds

½ C. blueberries

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Butter a cast iron pan or a 9” cake pan generously – this helps attain the covered golden crust.
• Beat the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Add 1 egg at a time, until you find that the mixture looks homogenous and the eggs are thoroughly incorporated.
• Add the vanilla.
• Sift together the flour and baking powder and fold it into the egg mixture. Stir in the blueberries.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, scatter the sliced almonds, and bake for 25-30 minutes (even lesser when using a small pan), until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Serve warm.

Summer Fruit Tea Cake

1 C. flour (or 1 ½ C. flour if you can’t find the almond flour)

½ C. almond flour

1 1/5 tsp. baking powder

2 ½ T. orange zest

¼ tsp. salt

½ C. butter, just melted

1/3 C. sugar + 4 T. sugar (or as per your taste)

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond or orange extract

¼ C. milk

¾ C. cherries, pitted and halved

1 ½ C. blueberries

1 ½ C. peaches, about 3 peaches – chopped

Lightly toasted sliced almonds + confectioner’s sugar for topping

Butter and flour to grease and dust the pan

• Combine the flour, baking powder, orange zest and salt together in a bowl. Rub the zest with the flour to with your finger tips to release the oil.
• With a mixer/whisk, cream the sugar and butter together on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated between additions, while scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally; whisk in the milk; then stir in the vanilla and the almond extract.
• Add the flour mixture in 2 or three shifts, mixing just until a lump free dough forms. It will not be a very runny dough. Refrigerate for about 40 minutes. While waiting, prepare your fruits.
• Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter a shallow 9” baking dish or tart pan. Divide the batter in such a way that one part is slightly greater in amount than the other. Spoon out the bigger amount of the batter evenly on the baking tin.
• Scatter the chopped fruits over the batter. Spoon over the other part of the batter over the fruits unevenly.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until lightly golden on the top. The toothpick inserted should come out clean.
• Cool completely before slicing. Sprinkle sliced almonds and confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Strawberry-Orange Shortcake Tart

1 ¾ C. flour

¼ C. plain yellow cornmeal

2 T. sugar

¾ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

6 T. cold butter, cut into pieces

1 lg. egg, lightly beaten

2/3 C. buttermilk

1 T. orange marmalade

1 (16 oz.) container fresh strawberries, cut in half

½ C. orange marmalade

2 c. heavy cream

2 T. sugar

Garnishes: fresh mint sprigs, sweetened whipped cream

• Preheat oven to 425º. Place first 6 ingredients (in order) in a food processor. Process 20 seconds or until mixture resembles coarse sand. Transfer to large bowl.
• Whisk together egg and buttermilk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened and a dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 3 to 4 times. Press dough on bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 9” tart pan.
• Bake at 425º for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden and firm to touch.
• Microwave 1 T. marmalade at HIGH 10 seconds; brush over crust. Cool 45 minutes.
• Stir together strawberries and ½ C. marmalade.
• Beat heavy cream with 2 T. sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Spoon onto cornmeal crust; top with strawberry mixture.