Cake + Fruit = An Excuse to Indulge!!!

Cakes and Breads / June 9, 2016

There’s a serving of fruit in this dessert. I’m not lying. It’s in there…juicy, sweet, and healthy. Oh, sure. Give me a bad time because all you can see is that glistening frosting and those dancing pecans….It’s THERE! Well, maybe underneath about a million calories of other stuff, like sugar. I’m just saying, what is your point?

Sometimes we do that, don’t we? Find a way to rationalize our way into eating dessert? Well, this recipe gives you that nudge you need to take a giant bite without 100% of the guilt afterwards.

It’s really simple actually. By including some orange zest, orange juice, and your favorite fruit, your cake is gonna be “lick-the-plate” amazing!!!

The truth is, I’m in LOVE with baking. Once I realized that measuring things did NOT frustrate my creative juices, I was in heaven. This cake uses a basic recipe I created that is so easy, and can showcase most any fruit. Today it is nectarines. And you won’t believe how much you love it. I created it to serve as a birthday cake because as long as you put candles in it and sing while the celebrant makes a wish, and blows out the flame, it IS a birthday cake.

Loaded to the brim with yummy sweet things like orange zest, golden raisins, and a buttercream frosting that starts with fruit puree, every bite pops in your mouth with excitement and promise.

It was hard to get a shot that didn’t include my slobber and tongue marks ALL OVER this gem.

All you need is a chain and a clasp and this dessert could qualify for bling around your neck! (Never mind that a bit of it might end up on your hips…we don’t talk about that. No we don’t.)

It’s actually gorgeous before you even frost it. But I couldn’t help myself!

I’m kinda in love with how it looks. And tastes! Mix and then make your journey to fruit Nirvana!

Nectarine Golden Raisin Cake

With Pureed Nectarine Buttercream Frosting

Makes 1, 10 inch round cake / Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 ½ C all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
½ t cinnamon
¼ brown sugar
¼ C white sugar
½ t kosher salt
1 egg, beaten
3 T butter melted plus more for greasing
2 t vanilla extract
3/4 C less 1 T milk or heavy cream
Zest from one orange
2 T fresh squeezed orange juice
Heaping 1/3 C golden raisins
1 C peeled and diced ripe Nectarine

Direction:

Butter the bottom of a 10 inch round metal cake pan.
Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, white sugar and kosher salt in one bowl, stir with fork to incorporate.
In another bowl combine the beaten egg, milk, vanilla, orange zest, orange juice and melted butter that has cooled a bit. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until incorporated. Gently fold in the nectarines and raisins until blended. Pour into prepared cake pan.
Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 35 minutes. Done when edges begin to pull from sides and the cake is browned. Let cool for about 15 minutes, invert onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Frost the cooled cake. Can be done the day before. Does not need refrigeration for just 1 overnight, however you should refrigerate the leftovers after serving for up to 2 days.

Frosting:

1 nectarine, peeled and pureed smooth. ½ C of salted butter, 1 t kosher salt, ½ t cinnamon, ½ t vanilla and about 3 C of powdered sugar, or what is needed for spreading consistency. Use an electric mixer to combine all ingredients, starting by creaming the butter, vanilla, salt and puree, then adding the powdered sugar a little at a time, for best results.

Desserts