Changing Seasons

This is one of my favorite holiday cakes, mostly because I love cranberries and this cake highlights them so nicely.  It’s quick and easy to make.  It is also tart, not too sweet (which is a good thing, because the holidays can easily be a sweets-overload on the palate), and is perfect with whipped cream.

The inspiration is from an upside down cake in Fannie Famer Baking Book that used canned cranberry jelly (which turned out, shall we say… less than super?   So, I reworked the recipe a lot, and feel okay calling it my own because it is now an entirely different cake from Fannie’s.)

Larksong’s Cranberry Upside-down Cake

 (serves 10-12, a small slice is just enough)

For the cranberry topping (which will go in the bottom of the pan):

1 bag fresh Oregon cranberries, rinsed, and picked through to remove unsuitable berries

2/3 C dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp orange juice

the zest of one orange (the more finely zested the better – I use a microplane)

For the cake :

 1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

5 1/3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/2  cup orange juice

1 egg, lightly beaten.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F.   In a medium skillet (you may choose to use a cast-iron skillet here - somewhere around 9-inches, and just bake the cake straight in the pan), on medium heat, cook the cranberries, orange zest, brown sugar, and tablespoon of orange juice until the berries pop, cook down, and reduce to a nice, thick consistency, stirring constantly to avoid scorching.   

Butter a 9-inch sprinform pan and transfer the cooked berry mixture to the bottom of pan, spreading into an even layer (if you can see metal at the bottom of the pan, that’s a spot where cake will run in and show on the finished cake).  (Obviously, omit this if using a cast iron skillet.)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  In a mixer with beater blade, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, then add vanilla, orange juice, and egg.  Add the dry ingredients slowly until just smooth and combined.  Pour over the cranberries and gently spread into an even layer.

Bale for 45 min or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let rest 5 minutes before inverting and removing from pan.  (You may need to arrange a few of the berries if they stick to the pan).  Garnish with a twisted orange slice and serve with fresh whipped cream.

The cold nights here have finally done-in my tomatoes.  The other day, I spent the afternoon making two batches of green tomato pickles while the girls played under the back stoop in the drizzle (they fled the house as soon as the smell of boiling vinegar began to fill the kitchen!)

Larksong’s Lemon Rosemary Green Tomato Pickles

6-8 large green tomatoes

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

4 large cloves of garlic

4 3-inch long strips of lemon zest (I peel lengthwise down the lemon with a veggie peeler)

2 1/2 C water

2 1/2 C white vinegar

2 Tbsp white sugar

3 Tbsp pickling salt

Directions:

1)Wash 4 pint jars, lids, and rings.  Sterilize according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Get water boiling in a canner.

2)Wash tomatoes in hot soapy water.  Rinse, and slice 1/4 inch thick. 

3)Bring water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil.  Boil until salt and sugar are well dissolved.

4)Into hot sterilized jars, divide evenly the garlic, lemon zest and rosemary.  Layer in the slices tomatoes.  Pour in boiling vinegar mixture, leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Remove air bubbles with a sterilized chopstick if desired.  Add hot lids and rings.

5)Process in a hot water bath canner for 20 min.  Allow sealed jars to set for 3 weeks minimum before enjoying.

Larksong’s Green Tomato Dill Pickles

6-8 very large green beefsteak tomatoes

4 large cloves garlic

8 Tbsp fresh dill

4 cloves

1/4 pickling salt

2 1/2 C water

2 1/2 C vinegar

Directions:

1)Wash 4 pint jars, lids, and rings.  Sterilize according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Get water boiling in your canner.

2)Wash tomatoes in hot soapy water.  Rinse, and slice 1/4 inch thick. 

3)Combine water, vinegar and salt.  bring to a boil to dissolve the salt.

4)Add 1 garlic clove, 1 clove, and 2 Tbsp fresh dill to each jar.  Add sliced tomatoes. 

5)Fill each jar with boiling vinegar mixture, leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Add sterilized lid and rings.

6)Process in boiling water canner for 20 min.  Leave for 3 weeks minimum before eating.

(Please note, these are cold packed pickles – therefore they may float in the jar.  Yes, it’s not as attractive, but I’ve found that cooking the green tomatoes and hot packing them results in mushy pickles.)