I'm still enjoying the berries that are in season, especially the raspberries. They are super big and plump right now and we're buying two containers every time we go the grocery store. I came across this recipe by Driscoll's Berries, the same company as the berries we buy.
This recipe reminded me of strawberry shortcake except the berries are mixed into the cake and meringue is used instead of whipping cream. I was going to substitute whipping cream but I'm glad I didn't because the meringue was even better! I should have whipped my meringue more so it's a little flat but it didn't effect the taste at all. I just didn't have the glorious peaks that meringue is known for. Here is what the cake looked like from the recipe photo:
I also used all the raspberry syrup that the recipe instructs you to make but in the photo, I think they must have just used a dab of it since most the meringue is white and not red like mine. It just depends how you want your's to look, you have options depending how much raspberry syrup you use.
I got the urge for cake once again, similar to the last time I made my chocolate cake in a mug two months ago. I was upset about our front line workers in hospitals exposing themselves to coronavirus because there isn't enough personal protective equipment for them. It's so ridiculous and shameful how our country has responded to this virus. Now, two months have gone by and I'm feeling so fortunate to live in a part of the country where we have a sensible governor who is strong enough to take matters into his own hands and is not backing down to idiots who are tired of social distancing and yelling about their rights to go to church or do whatever else they feel like at the expense of other people's health. Boy, I could never be a politician and be that polite to all the ignorant people out there. It also doesn't hurt that I live in a city where the U. of Washington virology lab is testing thousands of people a day including antibody testing and has developed projections that are used nationally for various coronavirus statistics. We also have Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center that is internationally known for making bone marrow transplants a mainstream treatment and continues with cancer research. They have people like Trevor Bedford, a Fred Hutch researcher who came out with the announcement in February that the virus had been circulating much longer than we initially thought which was a shock to everyone. I believe all the stuff these brilliant people say and feel lucky to live just a few miles away from places like these.
I also live just a few miles away from all the riots that have been happening in our city and that's why I'm back to eating comfort food. We turned on the news Saturday and I couldn't believe my eyes. The news reporters were right there filming everything. We saw looters stealing automatic weapons right out of a police car and then set it on fire! They were spray-painting obscenities everywhere and breaking windows then stealing stuff out of the stores or throwing it out on the streets. It was total mayhem and chaos. I just wanted to cry. I love our downtown and it was so hard to watch the streets that I know and the stores that I love being looted and destroyed. This is the time of year we would normally be eating at restaurants there and then heading to a Mariner game. Not this year. There were peaceful protestors and demonstrators a few blocks away but these people were not the ones causing the destruction. The National guard had to be called in and a city-wide curfew was called into effect. Now, we have curfews every night and looting going on in other areas around Seattle. As if the coronavirus isn't bad enough, now we have criminals going around looting stores every night. It's hard to watch this happening everywhere and I'm back to my comfort food routine.
One 9-inch cake
For the Cake:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
6 ounces Driscoll's fresh raspberries (1 package)
For the Meringue:
3 ounces Driscoll's fresh raspberries (about half of a 6-ounce package)
3/4 cup superfine sugar, divided
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
For the Cake:
1. Heat oven to 350 degree F. Butter and line a 9-inch round pan with a circle of parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a mixer bowl, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla with a paddle attachment. Cream on medium-high speed until lightened, about 5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat another 3 to 4 minutes, or until ultra-fluffy.
4. Reduce speed to low, add eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl between eggs. Increase the speed to medium, whip until batter is homogenous, another 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Reduce speed to low, and alternate adding milk and dry ingredients until there are no traces left of either.
6. Add slightly more than half of the batter to the cake pan, spreading the batter to the edges with an offset spatula or spoon.
7. Fold half of the raspberries gently into the remaining batter - just one or two turns is enough.
8. Plop the raspberry batter onto the batter already in the pan. Smooth the surface with a spatula.
9. Bake cake for 20 minutes, or until the top of the cake is just set. Remove from the oven and stud the surface with the remaining berries, poking to submerge each halfway.
10. Return the cake to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cake is golden and springs back to the the touch.
11. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Meringue:
1. Combine the raspberries and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, breaking up the berries with a wooden spoon to help things along.
2. When the sugar is dissolved, and things start to look juicy, transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Fine-strain out the seeds and set syrup aside.
4. Rinse out the saucepan and fill with an inch of water, bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
5. Add the egg whites and remaining sugar to the stand mixer bowl, then set atop the simmering water.
6. When the egg whites are no longer cold to the touch, about 5-7 minutes, locke the bowl into the stand mixer, add the cream of tartar and vanilla, and whisk on medium-high speed until meringue is stiff and glossy, about 7 minutes.
7. Dollop the meringue atop the cooled cake, spreading it evenly across the surface.
8. Using a teaspoon, add the raspberry juice in random dots around the surface.
9. Use the back of a spoon to swirl as desired. For peaks, swirl and pull the meringue straight up. Decorate with fresh raspberries, as desired.
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