For the first time ever I completely lost a blog post that I had spent hours on. Ugh! Part of me wants to scream, part of me wants to weep uncontrollably, and yet another (superstitious) part of me wonders if any day with a 13 in it is an unlucky day. If you have ever put a significant amount of time, energy and what you believed was creativity into something, it can be more than a little disheartening to begin again. In what seems like one of life's rather insignificant miseries, I feel compelled to allow myself to have a certain amount of unhealthy wallowing. Sometimes a small amount of 'OMG, I can't believe this is happening' can be soul soothing and provide enough energy to help with 'getting over it', regrouping and starting all over again. Okay, one more 'Ugh'.
Think I am now taking this blog posting in a completely different direction than the one that is seemingly lost in blog cyberspace. I just can't bring myself to trying to recreate what was probably one of the best blog postings ever to appear here (oh, the things one says when trying to recover from or remain in a state of denial over making a mistake). Am I am inferring my goal here is now to write something rather mediocre or just good enough? Maybe, maybe not. Remember I am coming from the place of a wounded bird (still wallowing) and am now filled with all sorts of self-doubt on my ability to construct anything having any clarity, coherence, or even a slight bit of cleverness. Maybe it was serendipitous I had made the Strawberry Buttermilk Cake this past weekend as there remains a sliver of a piece left in the refrigerator. Cake seems to have the magical powers of making one feel better. Under the weather, eat cake. Feeling sorry for yourself, eat cake. Having a bad day, eat cake. Being technically challenged, eat cake. Isn't this one of life's absolute truths? Or is it some invented rationale intended to ensure cake eating should always be a guilt-free pleasure? Invented or not, I am buying it. So before I allow myself the indulgence of and the euphoria that comes with eating a piece of cake, especially a piece of this Strawberry Buttermilk Cake, I feel compelled to first get the endorphin rush that comes with achieving a goal or two. Those goals being sharing an incredible cake recipe and successfully post to the blog today. I shall remain silent as to which of those is more important.
While it is technically not yet strawberry season, the strawberries at the grocery store this past weekend looked and tasted June ripened perfect.
Small and medium sized strawberries seem to have more flavor and taste sweeter to me, particularly early in the season. These lived up to that perception.
The recipe calls for one pound of strawberries, halved and hulled. I didn't use a full pound for this cake. Maybe because they were smaller and took up more space on top of the cake batter. But next time I make this cake (and there will be multiple next times), I will worry less about the finished look of the cake and squeeze as many of the strawberries on top as I can. Why? Because the slow and low baking of the strawberries makes them even sweeter and more delicious than you would think possible.
A batter made of unsalted butter, sugar, an egg, buttermilk, vanilla, sea salt, flour, and baking powder is made in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment.
The baking time for this cake may seem exceptionally long, but the end result is a moist, tender crumb, crispy edged cake. For the first 10 minutes the cake bakes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. The temperature is then reduced to 325 degrees and it continues to bake for an additional 50-60 minutes (mine baked for an additional 55 minutes) or until golden and a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.
Cooled on a wire rack the cake is dusted with confectionary sugar. I didn't actually wait until the cake came to 'room temperature' before dusting it because I couldn't wait to taste it.
Having eaten this cake slightly warm, at room temperature, and chilled in the refrigerator, I have to honestly say I loved this cake warm and slightly chilled best. This Strawberry Buttermilk Cake may be one of the best strawberry cakes I have ever eaten. Seriously.
The dusting of the confectionary sugar is all this cake needs, but some freshly lightly sweetened whipped cream is a perfect compliment. Akin to adding pearls to simple black dress, the addition of whipped cream turns this kind of rusting looking cake into one dinner party worthy. Without it, the cake can also be served at breakfast or as an afternoon snack. Whether you are celebrating an event or accomplishment, trying to lift up someone's spirits, turn an unlucky day into a lucky day, or you don't really need a reason, make this Strawberry Buttermilk Cake. Simple never tasted so good. And of, if by chance any of you come across my original lost Strawberry Buttermilk Cake posting, the one where I shared with you what it felt like to again experience a momentary 'zen-like' state during a run this past weekend, to have all of the 'white noise' silenced in my head, and to no longer feel any angst about being the 'slow' runner in my group, well if you were on the brink of starting to or returning to run, it might just the push you need and another reason to eat cake.
Strawberry Buttermilk Cake (recipe from the newly released cookbook Back in the Day Bakery Made with Love: More than 100 Recipes and Make it Yourself Projects to Create and Share by Cheryl Day and Griffith Day)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
Confectionary sugar for dusting
Optional: Freshly whipped cream
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly butter a 9 inch deep dish pie plate and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3-5 minutes).
4. Add egg, buttermilk and vanilla, blending until combined (mixture will seem curdled, but not to worry).
5. On low speed add the dry, sifted ingredients, mixing until fully blended. Mixture should be smooth, but do not over mix.
6. Scrape the batter (it will be thick), into the prepared pie plate. Smooth top with an offset spatula.
7. Place cut strawberries, cut side down, in concentric circles on top of the batter. Tap the entire dish lightly to remove any air bubbles.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees (F) and bake for additional 50-60 minutes (my bake time was 55 additional minutes) until golden on the edges and a cake tester comes out clean inserted into the center of the cake.
9. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.
10. Dust the slightly cooled or completely cooled cake with confectionary sugar and serve.
Optional: Serve cake with freshly whipped cream and garnish with additional strawberries.
Note: Cake can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days (if it lasts that long).
