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#CookClub recipe No. 26: Raspberry Cornmeal Cake

 
#CookClub recipe No. 26 is Raspberry Cornmeal Cake from the cookbook "Huckleberry" by Zoe Nathan. The fresh raspberries can be substituted with blueberries or cranberries.
#CookClub recipe No. 26 is Raspberry Cornmeal Cake from the cookbook "Huckleberry" by Zoe Nathan. The fresh raspberries can be substituted with blueberries or cranberries.
Published Sept. 29, 2014

The delightful new cookbook Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets and Recipes from Our Kitchen by Zoe Nathan (Chronicle Books, 2014) is getting quite a bit of buzz. It is a lovely book full of inspirational recipes and photographs that will make you eager to get into the kitchen this fall.

Nathan, along with husband Josh Loeb, owns the Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe in Santa Monica, Calif. As you can imagine, they specialize in baked goods, especially for breakfast.

For #CookClub Recipe No. 26, I made the Blueberry Cornmeal Cake but substituted raspberries. You'll want to use fresh fruit for this recipe and the day I shopped, there were no blueberries to be had.

There's room for interpretation here. When I make it again using blueberries, I will add a tablespoon of lemon zest. Getting ready for fall holidays? Make the cornmeal cake with fresh cranberries and orange zest.

Raspberry Cornmeal Cake should be eaten within a day or so of baking. After it cooled, I wrapped it in foil and gave to a friend the next day. She reported that she ate three pieces. I take that as a serious endorsement.

A serving suggestion: a dollop of vanilla or lemon yogurt would be a wonderful accompaniment if you are serving it for breakfast. Ice cream or whipped cream would turn this cake into a lush dessert.

Join us online!

To participate in #CookClub online, the key is to remember #CookClub because that's how you'll tag everything. You have two weekends to make the recipe and post a photo on Instagram.

Post photos and comments about the Raspberry Cornmeal Cake by 6 p.m. Oct. 12. Some of the photos and comments will be printed Oct. 14 in the Taste section of the Tampa Bay Times.

And don't forget to join us from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursdays for a live #CookClub chat on Twitter

Contact Janet K. Keeler at jkeeler@tampabay.com. Follow @RoadEats.

MODERATE

Raspberry Cornmeal Cake

¾ cup plus 1½ tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for top of cake

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

2 eggs

4½ tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup cornmeal

2¼ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole plain yogurt

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon ricotta

1 cup fresh raspberries

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line and grease a 10-inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Incorporate eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl well.

With the mixer on low speed, pour in the vegetable oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Pause mixing and add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, yogurt and ricotta. Mix carefully, just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

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Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, top with the raspberries, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in pan.

Place a clean plate on top of the cake and pan. Carefully invert the cake onto the plate by flipping both upside down. Then lift the pan off the cake. Gently pull the parchment from every nook and cranny of the cake, being careful not to break the cake. Rest your serving plate on the bottom of the cake and turn the cake right side up onto the plate.

This cake is best served the day it's made but keeps, tightly wrapped, at room temperature, for up to 2 days.

Serves 8.

Variations: Substitute raspberries for blueberries or fresh cranberries. Also, add 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange zest along with yogurt with any of the fruits.

Source: Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets and Recipes from Our Kitchen by Zoe Nathan (Chronicle Books, 2014)