Blueberry Raspberry Buttermilk Cake (Traveling Towards Tamara and Andrew)

If you're reading this on Wed. July 29th, we are on the road, making our way towards our running buddy Tamara who will be getting hitched to Andrew on Saturday. So in lieu of a daily recounting of travel adventures, I thought I'd share this yummy recipe with you, which I've been saving up for a rainy day!

This is an absolutely gorgeous recipe in celebration of summer fruit - and best of all it's easy as pie to make. (Okay. Stop me if you disagree, but how the heck did pie become easy to make? Where did this saying originate? Personally, I think pastry is tricky business! So "easy as pie" seems a bit like crazy talk, don't you think?)

In any event, this is a lovely Blueberry Raspberry Buttermilk cake, and I can assure you that it is beautiful and delicious. I found the recipe on the website of Smitten Kitchen (who adapted it from Gourmet). I changed it up a bit by using both blueberries and raspberries.

Blueberry Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

Butter and flour a 9' pan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the centre of the oven (and don't worry - it won't be on for too long in this summer heat)

For the cake, you'll be needing

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temp.

2/3 cup sugar (PLUS 1 1/2 Tbsp for "sprinkling")

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (or not - I've made it with and without - both are tasty)

1 large egg

1/2 cup well-shaking buttermilk

1/2 heaping cup fresh raspberries

1/2 heaping cup blueberries

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set to the side.

In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Then beat in vanilla and lemon zest (if you're going the zesty route). Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with the flour and mix until JUST combined (i.e. don't overmix). Arrange berries as you like and sprinkle 1 1/2 Tbsp of sugar over the top to make this baby glisten.

I liked this snazzy pattern (below). Bake until your cake is golden and a wooden toothpick comes out clean. This should take about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to cool. Invert onto a plate. Try not to eat it all in one sitting. See you tomorrow with more travel adventures.....