I know how all of you have been eagerly awaiting the answers to the trivia from the other day…so here they are!
Congratulations to the two contestants who commented…you will each receive…cookies!! Just leave a comment below with your favorite type of cookie and I will send you a dozen of them. Good thing only two of you entered…otherwise I would be seriously slaving away in the kitchen next week.
1. How many fresh tart cherries does it take to make a cherry pie? about 150, about 250 or about 350 cherries?
Answer: About 250 cherries
2. What does R.S.V.P. stand for on an invitation? Respond regrets only, respond either way, or a response is optional?
Answer: Respond either way
3. What chocolate covered treat made of marshmallow and vanilla cookie appears in the 1997 novel She Comes Undone and the 1989 move When Harry Met Sally?
Answer: Mallomars
4. How many cups are in a quart?
Answer: 4
5. What politician, evoking the plight of single mothers on a campaign stop in 2000, said, “Working hard to put food on your family”?
I made SmittenKitchen’s raspberry buttermilk cake a few weeks ago. The cake was so lovely that I decided to try it with some different additions. Since I had blueberries, half a bag of raw blanched almonds and a tube of almond paste already on hand…that’s what I used. The other ingredients in the cake are readily accessible in a bakers kitchen; 1 egg, 1/2 stick butter, sugar, flour, buttermilk (You can make your own!) baking soda, powder, salt and sugar. Easy.
Buttermilk Cake #1
The first cake I made was a blueberry almond cake and it was, in my opinion, incredibly delicious. Tart and juicy blueberries in a sweet, tender and moist cake with crunchy almond paste crumbs on top. The blueberries sank into the batter as it baked, but the almond paste stayed on top so it was able to get a little brown and crunchy. I sprinkled regular granulated sugar on top as well. I did not use lemon zest in the cake. I thought it might not combine well with the almond, but it would probably be great.
I get so worried about overcomplicating a dish that I tend toward simple flavors and fairly normal ingredients. If you want something crazy, make this. It grosses me out a bit, but my 7th grade Texas History teacher, Mr. Dennis, made this for us as a Christmas treat when I was in his class, and it was good…so maybe Velveeta cheese is better for more than Cheater Queso? If you’d like to make a bit more work of your queso…try this. After reading this post and drooling on my keyboard, I might have to try it as well.
Back to buttermilk…the possibilities are endless with this cake. This recipe is definitely one I will be experimenting with. It lends itself to fruit additions perfectly, but I would be willing to try chocolate pieces and various nuts as well. Pecans and walnuts would be tasty.
Buttermilk Cake #2
I absolutely love almond, so next I tried a cake with chopped almonds in the batter and a sprinkle of the almond paste on top as I did this last time. I used 1/3 white and 1/3 brown sugar in this cake, 2 ounces of chopped toasted almonds in the batter and about 2 ounces of crumbled almond paste on top.
Buttermilk Cake #1