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by the recipe: blueberry cardamom cake

By on September 18, 2013

So the tears have lessened. That’s a good thing. (See my previous tearful article.)

Still not completely happy, but growing pains, physical or emotional, do not always make one happy. Initially.

Finishing the third week of the new school year. I think among my fellow mom friends…the question is, “is it October yet?”

I’m one of those mom’s who loves likes it when school starts. Yes, I love my little people, but I greatly appreciate routine. Who I am kidding, I thrive on routine!

As a weird child I also loved going back to school. I’m not so sure if it was because of the routine. I think it was more because of the new school supplies. Fresh paper. New pencil crayons. New pens and pencils. Perfectly shaped erasers.

So why is it always a bit of a shock that September is less of the celebration we want and more of a chaotic maelstrom?

It’s hard to get back on track. To get up early enough every morning to make lunches (no matter who makes them…you know they aren’t happy about doing it). To remember to have to food in the fridge to actually make those lunches. To deal with the endless laundry that has fallen from the sky. To organizing activities and homework and dinner time. Trying to remember to pick up the kids at school.

We always manage to survive. And before we know it, October will be here and things will smooth out. And slowly we will forget the chaos. Until next September when it all starts again.

Blueberry Cardamom Cake

 

I came across this recipe from a blog called Spoon Fork Bacon. After all of my exploration with the cookbook Jerusalem, I have a good amount of cardamom on hand, and couldn’t resist trying this recipe. If you love cardamom, you might want to increase the amounts a bit. I found it quite mild. Maybe mellow is a better description. Also, don’t be put off by the smell of cardamom. I find it a bit overpowering as a scent, but never tastes the same or as strong when it is cooked. Regardless, it was a huge hit! I doubled the recipe so that I could share.

Makes 1 (8”x8”) *I doubled the recipe and baked it in a glass 9×13

Ingredients:

streusel:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, unsalted
3/4 cup superfine sugar (granulated is fine)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries *I used frozen blueberries with excellent results

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Lightly grease a 8”x 8” baking dish with butter and set aside.
2. For streusel: In a small mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients and toss together. Cut in cold butter and crumble together using the back of two forks or your fingers until a fine mealy texture forms. Set in refrigerator until ready to use.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
4. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar.
5. Add egg and continue to beat. Scrape down sides of bowl and add sour cream and buttermilk and beat together until fully incorporated.
6. Stir flour mixture into wet mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in vanilla extract and fold in blueberries.
7. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and set aside.
8. Sprinkle chilled streusel over top of cake and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the crumb cake.
9. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

 

Julie of By The Recipe says this about her food writing:

I’m not sure which came first: my sweet tooth, or my desire to bake.  Before I was a wife and a mother, I was a baker.  I love to bake.

Before kids, I wasn’t much of a cook. After kids, my cooking abilities improved, I guess because I needed to feed my family. Over the years I have come to enjoy cooking, almost as much as baking.  But let’s be honest, the best part of baking and cooking are the accolades of a great mouthful of food. That inspires me.

When I cook, I cook by the recipe. Almost always.

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