June 27, 2014

Raspberry buttermilk cake

This simple raspberry buttermilk cake recipe posted by Smitten Kitchen was recommended to me a while back and I've been wanting to make it ever since.  I filed it away in the back of my mind and when I walked into Whole Foods the other day and spotted a sale on organic raspberries and remembered the buttermilk I had in the fridge at home, it was my chance.
I suspected this simple cake would be good and it truly was.  In short, I could sum it up by saying this is just a wonderful everyday cake and a great one for summertime.  The buttermilk cake base itself is a great canvas for whatever seasonal fruit you might want to drop within.
The cake is moist and tender, light, and not overly sweet or rich.  A little lemon zest might be considered optional but I think it adds a great extra level of flavor.  As the raspberries bake, they intensify and the result is a candy-like smell and taste that makes this a great afternoon treat or a lovely summertime dessert after dinner.
I may be a chocoholic but I do enjoy a little variety.  And I love everyday cakes like this one that are a bit lighter and no-fuss to put together.  It's all the better when you can play around with the ingredients a bit.  I foresee blueberry and strawberry buttermilk cakes in my future.    

As pretty as frosted cakes are, I love everyday cakes that don't require any frosting at all.  This cake needs no more than a sprinkle of sugar over top before baking for a little extra crunch, sparkle, and bonus sweetness.  I used a couple teaspoons of coarse turbinado sugar for the topping.
Scatter your raspberries in different ways on top of the cake batter.  The ones facing down (pointed end up) tend to sink while the ones with the opening on top stay closer to the surface.  I choose to place them both ways, and with some of their sides, for added insurance and variety.

I also baked my cake in an 8-inch cake pan, rather than a 9-inch, for a bit more height.  You could spread the batter out to a 9-inch cake pan and make a thinner cake but I think the 8-inch is perfect.
You'll have a few extra raspberries to nibble on, or to reserve to serve your slice of cake with.  The cake is delightfully moist and flavorful - no whipped cream or any other accompaniment is necessary.
I shared this cake with some neighbors, and my husband and I enjoyed a good chunk for dessert after one of our at-home date night dinners.  One of us might even have had the last piece the next morning for breakfast.  This is one of those cakes I could easily eat often, and I'm glad to have it in my repertoire!


Recipe:

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from Gourmet

- For one 8-inch round cake (you could bake a thinner 9-inch cake; check for doneness a couple minutes early) -

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup (5 ounces) fresh raspberries
2 teaspoons turbinado sugar, for topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray (or butter and flour the pan).  If desired, line the bottom with a round of parchment for easier removal later.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Place butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add lemon zest, rubbing it into some of the sugar to release its essence.  Beat mixture on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla, then egg.  Beat well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  

On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Mix until just combined and smooth.  Scrape batter into the cake pan, smoothing out the top.  Scatter fresh raspberries evenly around the top and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove from the oven, set on wire rack and let cake cool for about 15 minutes in the pan. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and let cool on wire rack.  The cake is delicious served slightly warm or at room temperature.


  



45 comments:

  1. This sounds very similar to the strawberry cake i posted not too long ago! I love simple and fruity treats like this in the summer.

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    1. I think I remember the one. I'm with you on simplicity. Have a great weekend, Joanne.

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  2. That looks delicious! Love the use of raspberries, they're just so great in baking. :)

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    1. Thank you; I only discovered the wonder of raspberries not long ago.

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  3. That looks like one moist and delicious cake! I like my desserts simple and not too sweet and I think this would be perfect.

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    1. Thanks, BAM! I love a simple, lighter treat like this too. Have a great weekend.

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  4. Simple yet very delicious and this would be great with cherries too.

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    1. My mind is thinking cherries lately, too. The cake is a really good base for different fruits. Thanks.

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  5. Monica cake looks amazing:)

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  6. Just beautiful and delicious! Love the berry season...

    ela h.
    Gray Apron

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  7. My husband it not a fan of frosting. When I make cake our cupcakes he always want some unfrosted. So, this would be perfect for us. I love the whole raspberries in there. They look beautiful!

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    1. I am actually not a fan of most frostings (ganache is a huge exception) so I can relate. I love this kind of spongy, eggy, moist cake. It really doesn't need any frosting or anything. Thanks, Cindy!

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  8. Love this cake Monica! I am a big fan of simple and fruity everyday cakes like this. The scattered berries baked up so pretty and the added crunch from the turbinado sugar sounds perfect! And with the lemon zest, mmm so so good - I would love this for breakfast or dessert too - it's just perfect for summer :)

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    1. These simple cakes are so satisfying, aren't they, Kelly? Thank you and hope you're enjoying the weekend.

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  9. Perfect Monica! I so love cakes this way. Natural and delicious! Enjoy the weekend :-)

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  10. What a perfect cake Monica! I love its simplicity, and I bet it turned out wonderfully fluffy and moist thanks to the buttermilk in the batter! I would adore to have this for tea anytime soon ;) Hope you're enjoying your weekend! xxx

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    1. Buttermilk is magical, isn't it? I just feel like any recipe with buttermilk is likely to be a winner. This is great with a cup of tea, for sure!

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  11. This raspberry buttermilk cake sounds fluffy, delicious and tasty. I love smitten kitchen's blog - I've been following it for 5 years. I'd love a slice of this cake too!

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    1. Same here - great blog, great recipes. This cake is great - not too heavy and just perfect sweetness for a treat.

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  12. I'm a total raspberry addict so I say a big ol YES YES YES to this buttermilk cake! YUM!

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  13. I make a cake similar to this, and it is amazing. Anything with raspberries in it and I'm going to scarf it down within seconds!

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    1. I bet your cake is delicious! These kinds of cakes really do go down easy.

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  14. Monica - this is gorgeous! Love the raspberries - and I can smell the light, moist cake now. Yum - everyday cake wouldn't last more than one day with me. I could hurt myself on this one!

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    1. haha - love how you could 'hurt yourself'...I can do a lot of damage with this type of cake, too! Have a great 4th, Tricia!

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  15. I so agree with you. Every day cakes are more enjoyable because they can be made at short notice and sliced up as soon as they come out of the oven. I don't enjoy waiting for a cake to cool down though I like frosted cakes as well. This is a beautiful cake and raspberries are always great in baked goods. Look how pretty the cake looks!

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    1. Thanks so much. We are totally in sync on the merits of these everyday cakes. The ease and speed is a huge plus...and it tastes amazing. : )

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  16. Gorgeous cake, and it looks absolutely delicious. Loving raspberries right now!

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  17. I love the idea of everyday cakes, because I would like to eat cake everyday. And I don't blame you for wanting a slice of this for breakfast!

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  18. I'm a chocoholic too, but I also love raspberries in cakes! Yum!

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    1. Thanks! I never pass up a chocolate dessert but diversity is good. :)

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  19. I made this cake when we went raspberry picking a while back! How cool! I also topped it with turbinado sugar and loved it like that. :)

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    1. Cool! This cake is really delicious, as you already know.

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  20. Aw this cake looks so lovely and delicious. I'd love to try this out with a mix of raspberries and blueberries ^_^

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    1. Yes, that would be great, I'm sure. I can just eat this cake alone with that bit of lemon zest in it!

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  21. Sometimes simple (yet full of flavor) is the way to go! This "everyday" cake is the kind of recipe we all need when delicious is called for but no one wants sweet overload or lots of bells and whistles. No reason this lovely cake can't be presented on a fancy plate for a "dressy" occasion! If both you and Deb post a recipe, I KNOW it has to be good. :) The physics of sinking fruit in cake batter is beyond me. Your tips for raspberry positioning are appreciated!

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    1. You're too kind, Wendy. I love that we have all these great resources like Deb from SK who we're confident we can rely on for a good recipe. She mentioned the sinking fruit and I tried both ways and did them sideways also just for "insurance"...worked for me like that. : )

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  22. I love simple cakes that don't need any frosting, and the raspberries make me think that it would be perfectly acceptable to eat this for breakfast!

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