Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cakes with Blackberry Glaze

I got a hold of some wonderful blackberries at a great price, which means it was time to get baking again. This one turned out to be a favorite. It's an adaptation of a recipe from Cooking Light Quick Baking and I must say that the addition of the glaze, and using slightly better ingredients, makes such a difference!

Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cakes with Blackberry Glaze

Modified by Rising Wolf Kitchen

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups organic sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temp
• 1 1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
• baker's cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt; stir with a whisk. 
3. Combine sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl and mix at high speed until light and fluffy. 
4. Add the eggs, one at a time until each is incorporated at medium speed. 
5. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
6. Spoon into either 2 standard loaf pans or 4 small loaf pans (coat pans with cooking spray first). 
7. Bake at 350 for approx 40 minutes if using small loaf pans. If using standard loaf pans, you'll need to check it and add an additional 5-10 minutes onto the baking time. 
8. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes on wire rack; remove from pans and allow to cool completely. 

For the glaze: 

• 1/2 cup fresh blackberries (frozen won't work here)
• 1 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 Tbs lemon juice

1. Heat the butter with the blackberries in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted and blackberries are coated with the butter. Note: blackberries will still be intact.
2. Remove from heat and place blackberry mixture into a medium bowl.
3. Using a hand mixer, mix the blackberry/butter until you're left with only small chunks of blackberry. 
4. Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice, mixing on medium speed until sugar is well incorporated. There will still be small chunks of blackberry. 
5. Now the next part is messy so I recommend putting either a baking sheet or foil under the cakes (still on the wire rack). 
6. While the mixture is still warm, pour/spread over the tops only of each cake, using the entire glaze. It will fall over the sides of the cake naturally. 
7. Slice and enjoy - best served while glaze is warm. 

Allergy Warnings: This recipe contains eggs and dairy. 

Lower Cholesterol Version: Substitute Earth-Balance vegan butter sticks in equal parts with the unsalted butter. We do not recommend shortening, lard or margarine.

Nutrition Facts (without the glaze) per slice: Calories 155, Fat 5.1g, Protein 2.2g, Carb 22.3g, Fiber 0.3g, Chol 34mg, Sodium 95mg, Calc 25mg (nutrition facts as obtained for the cake recipe only from Cooking Light)

Comfort Food Dessert: Cherry-Blackberry Cobbler

I've been under a tight self-imposed book deadline, and have neglected my kitchen. I made up for my baking lag time by whipping up a super-delicious cobbler! Oh yes, it's really that good and so simple to make. Okay, so I cheated just a little (you'll see in the recipe) because what's a girl to do when she can't get fresh cherries and has a limited amount of time? Oh yes, share it with everyone and watch their faces light up with delight!

And there's a bonus! I cut back on the sugar by using Truvia in place of the usual organic granulated sugar. Still absolutely delish!

Cherry-Blackberry Cobbler

by Rising Wolf Kitchen

For the bottom crust: 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 4 Tbs chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup skim milk

For the filling: 

• 2 cans lite cherry pie filling (this is where I cheated)
• 2 pints fresh or frozen blackberries (be sure to defrost frozen blackberries prior to using)
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup truvia (sugar substitute)
• 2 Tbs all-purpose unbleached flour

For the topping: 

• 1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup truvia (sugar substitute)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 8 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1. To make the crust: combine first three ingredients; blend together.  Use a pastry blender or your fingers to combine in the butter until coarse crumbs are formed. 
2. Add milk and combine with a fork until blended. 
3. Roll out onto floured surface and roll into the bottom only of a 9x13 rectangle (crust will be thin!)
4. Place in a 9x13 metal pan sprayed with baking spray and poke a few small holes in the center. 
5. The Filling: combine cherry filling and blackberries. Add lemon juice, truvia and flour. Gently blend until all combined. 
6. Pour filling over the bottom pie crust. 
7. For topping: combine first six ingredients until well blended. Add butter pieces and combine until mixture is crumbly. 
8. Spread topping evenly over cherry mixture. 
9. Bake at 450 F for approx 1 hour. Filling mixture should be bubbly and the topping golden brown. 
10. Allow to cool on wire rack for about 15-20 minutes before serving. Will still be warm, but serving too soon will likely result in burnt tongues! 

 Allergy Warning: This recipe contains dairy.

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE.

Apple-Blackberry Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze

Blackberries and bread--two of my favorite food items. I whipped up this richly dense bread over the weekend. Baked with a strudel topping and then lightly coated with a cream cheese glaze, this bread is a tasty morning or afternoon treat. Note that this is a dense bread and is easy to either over or under bake. Be sure that when you check the bread, don't just eye this one-use a knife or wooden stirring stick-you don't want to under-bake it. If it's done, take it out and remove from the pans so you avoid over-baking. Don't worry, the bread is worth it. If you'd like to lighten the bread a bit, cut the apple content in half and don't use the strudel.

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE.

Apple-Blackberry Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze

by Rising Wolf Kitchen

Makes 1 loaf

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
• 2 large eggs, at room temp
• 1/3 cup non-fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 1/2 cups apple, semi-ripe and chopped (approx 1 1/2 med apples)

Strudel:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbs unbleached flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbs melted butter

Glaze:

• 2 oz low-fat cream cheese
• 3 Tbs powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbs non-fat milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk to combine. 
3. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed until well blended (approx 1 min). Add eggs, sour cream, buttermilk and vanilla; beat until blended. 
4. Add flour mixture and and beat on low speed just until moist.
5. Gently fold in blackberries and chopped apples; smooth into loaf pan (note: mixture will be heavy and chunky).
6. Prepare strudel by combing all ingredients, mix well and sprinkle evenly over bread.
7. Bake for 1 hr 15min - 1 hr 30min depending upon oven. Be sure it's done but don't let it over-bake. Allow to rest on wire cooling rack for 5 minutes, remove and continue to cool.
8. To prepare strudel (while bread is still warm): combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk; stir until smooth then drizzle or smooth over with a pastry brush. Allow bread to cool completely before serving. 

Allergy Warning: This recipe contains dairy and eggs.