
The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
E. E. Cummings
It rained yesterday, and I got caught in it. Raindrops on my cheeks. On my cilantro that was peeking out of my grocery bag. I didn’t mind. When I got home, I put my little ficus tree outside to enjoy it. I made black bean soup and listened to pitter patters on the deck…
It’s the time of year for soft rain and puddles. And tiny cakes with fruit and cinnamon and a cloud of fresh whipped cream on top. Spring is here.
Blueberry Buttermilk Cakes with Thyme
Makes 5 small cakes or 1 (9-inch) cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Heaping 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Preheat oven to 400F and coat a 9-inch cake pan or 5 molds of an oversized muffin tin with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oil, 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, thyme, egg and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 3 additions, mixing gently after each until just combined. Don’t over mix.
- Transfer batter equally among 5 oversized muffin molds or single cake pan. Scatter blueberries on top and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake until cake is golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean — these took 21 minutes in the oversized muffin tins (maybe a bit longer in a cake pan). Cool in pan 10 minutes. Serve with fluffy, fresh whipped cream.
Adapted from Gourmet