Contributing something to share at potluck celebrations puts a chef between a rock and a hard place. Can't I be like every other guest? Can't I bring a new recipe that looks good, but is still in the experimental stages? What happens when I want to bring a delicious cake without getting out the cadre of pastry bags and piping tips to create the next cover shot of Martha Stewart's Living? Oh, no! The cake might even be a bit uneven and crumby around the edges (as usually happens with the chocolate cake). Well, I just take a deep breath and let it be.
Lately, I've been really enjoying recipes in which seasonal ingredients (mainly fruits) can be interchanged. I've also been experimenting with Splenda. I have realized that there is a chemical edge to Splenda that I'm not completely sold on. I have also been substituting Splenda for sugar at about 2/3 of the called for measurement. Splenda did pretty well in this recipe from epicurious.com. I made the recipe into muffins and left off the sugar topping (I would generally use turbinado or raw sugar for extra crunch). The fruit is definitely interchangeable and I would recommend this recipe for all seasons. If keeping buttermilk on hand is an issue, you can purchase powdered buttermilk or make your own by placing a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice in whole milk.
Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided OR
1/2 cup Splenda for batter only
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 ounces)
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan (or prepare a 6-piece cupcake pan with paper liners).
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat well.
At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.
Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.
Makes 6 servings (or 6 cupcakes).
