After a few quiet days on the blog, I wanted to come back with something that feels like a warm welcome. This is the kind of dessert that does just that! It’s easy, comforting and hard to resist.
This Berry Dump Cake is one of those recipes people make once and then keep in their back pocket forever. No mixing bowls, no complicated steps and it works beautifully with fresh or frozen fruit. Serve it warm with a bit of lightly sweetened whipped cream, or ice cream.
Every now and then I try a new recipe just to shake things up even though I already have a few favorites. I recently made a buttermilk chocolate cake from another blog. (Here I am about to taste test.) It looked promising and had that classic feel but when I took a bite something was missing. It wasn’t bad, texture was nice, but the flavor was surprising flat. I realized it came down to salt. The recipe used only 1/4 teaspoon to balance over 4 cups of dry ingredients and 2 cups of liquid. It reminded me of how important salt is in a chocolate cake where it enhances depth and balance. So, today I’m revisiting some of my own buttermilk chocolate cake recipes that I believe do it right.
It’s a baker’s secret! It adds moisture, tang and tenderness. Combined with cocoa or melted chocolate and the right amount of salt it creates a richer more developed flavor. The recipes following show how a few choices like buttermilk and seasoning make all the difference.
The recipe I tried also skipped vanilla extract which is a small but mighty ingredient. Even in a rich chocolate cake a teaspoon of vanilla adds warmth. Then there’s butter. I almost always use salted butter. Some bakers swear by unsalted for precision but I’ve baked this way for years and I love the flavor balance it brings. I estimate it brings 1/4 teaspoon salt per 1/2 cup which I take into account loosely. But mostly I just go by taste. So, between buttermilk, salt, vanilla and salted butter these cakes hit all the right notes.
Devil’s Food Chocolate Pound CakeWhy I Love It: Ultra chocolatey and rich without being too sweet. The buttermilk helps tenderize the crumb and the generous amount of cocoa keeps the flavor deep. And lets not forget the salt.
Flavor builders:
1 Cup cocoa powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
Buttermilk + butter for moisture and flavor
German Chocolate CakeWhy I Love It: A classic that gets better the next day. Melted German chocolate, buttermilk and a touch of extra salt make this complex.
Flavor builders:
Buttermilk for tang and softness
1/4 to 1/2 Teaspoon salt (self-rising vs all-purpose)
Rich frosting finishes it off beautifully
Why I Love It: Fun, nostalgic and a little unexpected. The cola adds sweetness and moisture but it’s the buttermilk that makes the texture perfect. Salt brings it back from being too sweet.
Flavor builders:
Hot cocoa
Cola
Butter syrup
Buttermilk
Salt for balance
Trying that new recipe reminded me of something important, chocolate cake needs balance. Just a small tweak like adjusting the salt can turn a fine cake into one you crave. If you’ve never baked with buttermilk or if your chocolate cakes have felt a little bland lately try one of these. They’re not just chocolate cakes with buttermilk but cakes where each ingredient knows its role.
Came across this recipe suggestion and decided to try it with a few modifications. Who’s Mrs. Dalton? She’s the author of the cookbook Dining with the Daltons, no longer in print. Also was the wife of John Dalton, the Governor of Virginia many decades ago. Why have I decided to post another coffee cake recipe when I have so many excellent ones. In other words, what’s different here? The texture! It’s like a pound cake. When I put this together the baking powder seemed skimpy. This I’m sure accounts for the denseness. It’s quite delicious! Is it one of my best, probably not, but it’s an excellent change-up.
This is a 9 inch double layer cake recipe made into 24 standard size cupcakes instead. The recipe ingredients are only slightly different from the traditional Prune Cake. It has a special touch of added coffee. One ingredient, vegetable shortening, has not changed. I’ve attempted to use other fat substitutes without much luck in moistness and texture. I hope you enjoy this great recipe! And if you really aren’t into prunes … surprise yourself!
Recipe adapted from Florence Jane Harvell and Brenda Slate.
This is what happens when you don’t follow a recipe. It’s delicious but nothing like the King Arthur Glazed Espresso Coffee Cake. Well, it’s the same ingredients but steps do make a difference! Mine has a dome-like center, oops, which might have been avoided if I had layered the cake batter little by little over a silicone mat covered bottom per directions. I read the directions months ago and when I finally made the cake today I had forgotten the one thing that caught my eye initially … the marbling of the cake. (As you see, no marbling at all. Yep, I mixed all the batter together.) Too, I used parchment paper with the thought it would work as well as the silicone. It did help with the cake removal but silicone does provide even baking. It does seem the amount of batter was a bit excessive for an 8 inch square baking dish. You might like to try a 9 inch square and cut the baking time a bit Or use the reverse creaming method as in the King Arthur recipe. These all affect the baking outcome.
I do love King Arthur Products. Their mixes are helpful when you have unexpected company or need a break from the time a scratch recipe requires. I’m sure you can get around some of the King Arthur ingredients here by substitution if needed. This is a many ingredients recipe and does take some attention when putting it together.
Sometimes you just want a fully loaded quick bread. If you love the cake you’re gonna love this! A mere 15 minutes to the oven. Yep, it does take an hour to bake but your kitchen will smell amazing while it bakes. I opt for light olive oil just because of the health benefits. There is reportedly more health benefits to extra virgin. I have used extra virgin without significant taste difference. But if you are baking this for a foodie with a very discriminating palate opt for the light.
Enjoy!
Martha’s recipe got me going but I knew looking at her recipe the flavor was tame. It seemed, too, a lot of batter for a nine inch square. So here’s my few changes for an excellent Fall treat!
How we love cakes! Simple Cakes! Take a tour through our cakes to find your favorites.
One thing our family has in common we’re not collectors. Not that we aren’t sentimental. Each item we place about our homes is treasured and often has a meaningful history. Okay, there is one exception for me! Cookbooks! I treasure each … And mention to family, you know those words that make children go “mom,” when I’m gone please find a special place for these. The latest addition to my collection is My Portugal by George Mendes. It’s a beautiful book actually worthy of a coffee table. Yep, this recipe, at least the ingredients, was inspired by My Portugal. I never follow the directions of recipes. My mother would have said I never follow any directions!
This is a great recipe. The results are amazing. The photo tells the story. Of course I cut the more than warm cake way too soon. Give this recipe a try. It’s delicious!
A little different take on pumpkin cake and certainly much easier than the traditional pumpkin roll but with similar rich and spicy results. This recipe is inspired (or more) by a King Arthur Flour recipe. I didn’t use their Harvest Mini Loaves Pan which is so perfectly fallish but used a William Sonoma Bundtlett Pan. Admittedly, the Harvest Mini Loaves Pan may make for a easier even distribution of filling … not having to deal with the center chimney in the bundt pan. I truly enjoy King Arthur products and can’t wait to use their Vermont Boiled Cider in my next apple pie. But for now….
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