Simple Cake with Raspberries

During the hot summer months, my cravings are never directed toward cakes of the bubbling molten chocolate sort. In winter, we all need something rich and satisfying to get us through. But as the temperatures and humidity levels rise, something lighter is in store.

This cake is full of the flavors of summer; juicy raspberries spread moistness throughout the cake, and an extra sprinkle of sugar crystallizes on the top. The recipe calls for buttermilk, but as this was not an everyday ingredient in at least my kitchen, I tried a substitute of Greek yogurt. Perfect! Just add a splash of milk with the yogurt to thin it a bit and make it more of the consistency of buttermilk.

You can really use any juicy summer fruit for this cake, but something about the tangy yet sweet juice of raspberries sets it off perfectly. Also, my mother being the healthy cook she is, we happened to have almond flour in the cupboard. On a surprise stroke of inspiration, she replaced 1/4 cup of regular flour with 1/4 cup of almond flour. I was skeptical at first but the very faint nuttiness of the flour contrasts with the raspberries in a satisfying way. If you want to take the almond-raspberry duo further, add a bit of almond extract to the batter. I didn't- who knows how it might turn out- but experimenting is really half the fun in baking.

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour (substitute 1/4 cup almond flour for 1/4 cup regular if desired)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 stick unsalted, softened butter

2/3 cup sugar plus 1 1/2 tbsp sugar for sprinkling

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup yogurt)

1 cup (5 oz.) raspberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar until pale and fluffy. You may use an electric mixer at medium-high speed, or just cut in the butter and then whisk it. Beat in the vanilla and then the egg.

At low speed, mix in 1/3 of flour mixture. Alternate with buttermilk (yogurt) and repeat, ending with flour. Mix until just combined.

Smooth batter into 9-inch cake pan. Spread raspberries evenly on top and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake until cake is golden; 25-30 minutes. Cool the cake until only warm before serving with whipped cream.