A Farewell to Summer | Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake

September 11, 2012 by 24 Comments

Fall is here. Can you feel it? The hours of daylight are becoming shorter, a chill descends upon us in the late evening and lingers until late morning, and I have turned on the seat heaters in my car once or twice (for reals). The leaves are beginning to turn those beautiful shades of gold. Pumpkin spice lattés are back! I find myself craving hearty soups and comfort food for dinner instead of lighter summertime fare. I want to bake with apples and pumpkin and delicious fall spices.

Over the past week or so, things have felt different to me. It’s interesting how the universe ebbs and flows, and how each season brings with it new ideas, feelings, and goals. I was reflecting on this post the other day, and I was reminded of the idea that Fall, in a sense, marks the beginning of a new year.

Fall presents an opportunity for a fresh start. Last Summer, the psychic told me that the number nine repeatedly made an appearance in my tea leaves, palm, and tarot cards. Based on that, he predicted that September was going to be an important month. Six weeks later, at my friend’s wedding reception, her mother hugged me and randomly said “Always remember that number nine is lucky” before walking away. Nothing noteworthy happened last September. But I’m convinced. This September is mine.

In less than two weeks, I am going to run my first half marathon. I’m freaking a little bit. Maybe a lot actually. I don’t feel as prepared as I would like. The running partners that I signed up for the race with have decided to withdraw their registrations due to running injuries. I’ve been having painful shin splints over the past couple of weeks – probably a result of overtraining as I frantically prepare for a 22km trek through the mountains. Friends, I am scared. But I am also excited. I know that I can do it – now it’s just a matter of doing it. Mind over matter. Positive thinking. Believing in myself.

For me, Fall also means turning another year older. In exactly one month, I will celebrate another year of living. Of experiences and lessons learned. It seems that once one passes the age of 25, birthdays aren’t quite as fun or exciting as they used to be (ie. the girlie sleepovers). But this year, I’m milkin’ it. I will only turn 28 once, so I damn well better celebrate it. My favorite people + lots of wine + a kick-ass birthday cake + a little dancing = the only way to do it.

But before half marathons and birthdays (and all of the other incredible things that are on the horizon), we must bid farewell to Summer. This cake is one way to do just that. A delicious sour cream cake is topped with a strawberry and rhubarb quick jam and then blanketed with crumble topping. We’re talking ample cake-to-crumble ratio here friends.

So quick! Bake this pretty little cake up before all of the strawberries have disappeared from the shelves and a garden full of rhubarb is just a memory! And enjoy a slice with a steaming up of coffee or tea, or for breakfast, and preferably with someone fabulous. I most certainly did.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake (adapted from About.com, Southern Food Guide)

For the filling:

2 cups rhubarb, thinly sliced

1 pint strawberries, sliced and slightly mashed

1 TBSP. fresh lemon (or lime) juice

2/3 cup sugar

3 TBSP. cornstarch

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the crumble topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

5 TBSP. melted butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the rhubarb, mashed strawberries, and lemon juice. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together and add to the fruit mixture. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and stir until thickened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with the 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and sour cream, and then the vanilla. Slowly add in the flour mixture until smooth and blended. Spread in a greased 9-inch springform pan. Spoon the cooled filling mixture over the cake batter.

For the crumble topping: Combine the ingredients, mix well, and sprinkle evenly over the filling layer. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the cake is firm and topping is lightly browned. Allow to fully cool before slicing. The cake will keep, well-wrapped in the refrigerator, for a couple of days.

PS. You guys rock. In case I don’t tell you often enough. xoxo

 

Filed Under: Breakfast, Fruit, Summer, Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Summatime! | Red Wine Sangria

June 24, 2012 by 23 Comments

‘Tis officially summer, friends! And I am feelin’ it. All I want to do lately is sit on a patio with friends, soak up the sun, and drink delicious cold beverages. Oh, and play frisbee. And wear summer dresses. And eat corn on the cob and barbequed chicken. And have bonfires. And have sing-a-longs around the bonfire! Oh, and go to the beach. Too bad there are no beaches around here. Not a one. I feel so deprived.

Thankfully, I don’t require a beach to have a good time. However, I do require alcohol…

Just kidding.

Although I’m pretty sure that any party/get-together/summer day/summer evening/work day would be made better by a glass of this sangria. You all know I love red wine. But add in brandy, triple sec, and fruit? That’s a whole other love affair. This is good stuff people. But I urge you, drink responsibly. A batch of this delicious nectar can go down a wee bit too easy, if you catch my drift. Now make yourself some and enjoy! Happy Summer!

Red Wine Sangria (adapted from Bobby Flay, The Food Network)

Serves 8 (can easily be halved, but why would you want to?)

2 bottles Spanish red wine

1 cup brandy

1/2 cup triple sec

1 cup orange juice

1 cup pomegranate juice

2 oranges, sliced (plus more, for garnish)

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup blackberries

Mix all ingredients together in a large pitcher. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, if possible – however, I enjoyed this 6 hours later and it tasted darn good to me! Obviously, the longer that the flavors can marinate together, the better. Garnish with sliced oranges.

Filed Under: Beverages, Fruit Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Here Comes The Sun | Orange Strawberry Muffins

May 8, 2011 by 12 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful mamas out there! I was able to spend the morning with my fabulous mama, and celebrated her with the most fabulous cinnamon buns ever. In fact, those present at our little brunch exclaimed that they were the best cinnamon buns they had ever tasted. Don’t worry, I will share later this week, but I’m going to hold out on you for now. I have been meaning to share this muffin recipe for a couple of weeks now, and little old life has gotten in the way of me doing so. Spring brings with it the start of many outdoor activities, like soccer and Ultimate frisbee, and at present three of my weeknights are occupied with these activities. Little Miss Bella is in love with this new season, and its new sights and smells, and we are trying to let her enjoy it as much as possible. This means long evening walks, playing fetch in the park, and joining honey and I on the occasional run. When is a girl supposed to blog with that schedule?

My papa spends his winters in Phoenix to escape the frigid Canadian weather, and when he returned in April, he brought back with him 600…yes, six hundred oranges. Six hundred of the most juicy, sweet, amazing oranges I have ever tasted. He threw about 40 oranges my way, and I enjoyed several oranges per day for the first few days before I soon realized that I would not be able to consume all of those delicious oranges before they were past their prime. So I scoured recipe books, foodie magazines, and blogs for some orange recipes. One failed orange cake (which used 12 oranges!) and a batch of orange butter (think lemon butter, but with oranges) later, I stumbled upon this recipe for Orange Strawberry Muffins. I was intrigued by a few aspects of the recipe, including the almond topping and the addition of strawberries. These muffins baked up tender and sweet, with a lovely little hit of orange flavor. And they are quite healthy in comparison to other muffin recipes out there. Give these muffins a try if you’re looking for something a little bit different than the every day muffin. They just might be that little ray of sunshine that gets the day off to a good start.

Orange Strawberry Muffins (slightly adapted from eatingwell.com)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. orange zest

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup orange juice

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries

Topping:

3 TBSP. almonds

2 TBSP. flour

2 TBSP. brown sugar

1 tsp. orange zest

1/4 tsp. salt

2 TBSP. canola oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin (with cooking spray or muffin liners). In a food processor, combine the almonds, 2 TBSP. all-purpose flour, 2 TBSP. brown sugar, 1 tsp. orange zest and 1/4 tsp. salt and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, add the 2 TBSP. oil and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp. orange zest, 1/4 cup oil, buttermilk, orange juice, egg, and vanilla and mix well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just moistened. Add the strawberries; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle generously with the topping.

Bake the muffins until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Happy eating!



Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast, Fruit Tagged With: , , ,