Monday, February 5, 2018

Red Beet, Tart Apple and Blackberry Cake







It all began with V-day and red velvet cake.

At the risk of losing half of my readership, I am about to admit that I do not like V-day very much. But being a brave girl who speaks her mind, no matter what, I am going to say it loud and clear. I DO NOT like V-day VERY MUCH. Quite frankly, I don't get it. Why would anyone on Earth need a day that reminds us to love our loved ones, when we should be loving them around the clock at the first place?

True love is in the daily doses of kindness and care, in all those miniature drops of affection that keep us going: a smile here, a kiss there; a silent hug when you return from work depleted that says "I am with you" in twenty three different ways. Love is when someone parks the car for you in a midst of a rainstorm so that you do not get wet; it's in that last bite of the avocado toast you are willing to split in two, even though you are not of a sharing kind, and it's totally your favorite; the humble love, the quiet love, the unassuming love, yet so loud, so strong, and all-pervasive. That's the love I crave, my friends. Forget about the card, overpriced red roses, and a massive downpour of attention at an expensive restaurant (together with a red velvet cake and a pink macaroon finale).

Which brings me to the red velvet cake (let's call it RVC for the sake of shortening this post). The thing is practically unavoidable in the first half of February. And yes, you've guessed correctly, I do not like red velvet cake much either. (Here goes the other half of my readership.) Quite frankly, I don't get it. As far as I can tell, RVC is nothing but a sponge cake with: A) enough of a common sense to use buttermilk for moisture, and b) superb branding skills. After all isn't the red color the sole reason for its popularity? (And PLEASE do not tell me that RVC is one hell of a cake, and that even if it were colorless it would be worshiped just about the same. Please don't. I am not buying it.)

Nevertheless, the branding had worked, plus red is my favorite color, and today I found myself craving a red cake. I briefly toyed with an idea of making the red velvet, I even printed out the recipe, but truth be told, the cake I craved was a million miles away from the venerable RVC. I wanted my red cake to be frosting-less, and not overly sweet, with a faint touch of sour. I wanted it to be festive and celebratory, but in a childish, playful kind of way, like a carnival, like a merry-go-round. I wanted it to be moist, really, really moist, almost falling apart moist, like a soil after the downpour, rich and dripping with goodness. And most of all, I wanted it to be healthy -- a cake I could give my daughter for breakfast without feeling guilty and have her still be excited about it!

So here we go, meet my new best friend: red beet, tart apple and blackberry cake. It's not RVC for sure, but it's red and glorious, it's lively with flavors, sweet with the produce it carries inside, it's an insane explosion of colors and flavors, just as the proper love cake should be. Because one should settle for no less. Period. Enjoy the love month folks, then chunk the feeling in pieces, and spread it around 24/7, every single day, until next February 14, and beyond.






Beet, Tart Apple and Blackberry Cake


* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2 large eggs
* 5 oz sugar
* 5 oz butter, melted and brought to room temperature
* 1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
* 6 oz shredded red beets (one large beet)
* 6 oz shredded Granny Smith apples (one large apple)
* 6 oz blackberries, cut in quarters
* extra butter and flour for greasing the pan


hardware

* 6-cup bundt pan


Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In another large bowl, mix the beets, apples, and blackberries.

In a medium bowl, using a whisk beat the eggs and sugar until creamy. Add the butter and whisk, until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is creamy again. Add the yogurt and mix until the yogurt is fully incorporated and the mixture is creamy again.

Add the egg mixture to the flour and mix until combined. Do not overmix. Add the beet mixture to the batter and mix until well blended.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured pan. Bake for about 55 minutes, or until a long wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake in the pan for about 30 minutes, and then remove the cake from the pan. Let the cake cool completely before serving.


Serves 8

1 comment :

  1. I have actually made red velvet cake without the red--no food coloring to be found, and so it became what we dubbed a "brown corduroy" cake. And it was fabulous. No red needed. <3

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