citrusy raspberry cornmeal cake

March came with a hefty snow storm. The icy roads became even more slippery and the shoveling continues. Evenings are spent with a blanket wrapped around the shoulders, a mug of tea in hand, fighting the chills while dreaming of the snow melting away. Yet there is something good even in this: a snow storm in March calls for baked goods, something cozy and sweet to drive away the blues settling in.

In my opinion? Nothing fights the blues as well as a cozy cake, bursting bright with juicy berries and citrus fruit.

These cozy everyday cakes have stolen my heart. Now, it is not likely that I would turn down any kind of cake, let alone a fancy one. But there is something in these cakes, fit for any - and every - time of the day. Usually they aren't anything special to look at; nothing to make them stand apart. Yet when given the chance, they take their place, providing that easy and sweet moment of time that is meant to be enjoyed.

Another thing that I love about everyday cakes is their easiness. Best times with only one bowl and a spoon, these cakes are delicious as they are, stripped bare. Yet they can be fancied up easily, with a simple frosting or maybe whipped cream, without having to put hours into it. Honestly, what's not to love about that?

This cake, I can't help but love. The slightly coarse texture from the cornmeal makes the cake really interesting. Raspberries and that hint of citrus fruits provide a burst of brightness. For serving, crème fraîche is mixed with lemon curd to enhance the citrus flavour while the slight tang brings everything together.

Originally, I wanted to make this cake with a clear taste of lemon on the background but as it happened, I forgot to buy lemons. We had a grapefruit, though, so that's what I used and ended up loving it. Whether you use lemon or grapefruit or even orange for that matter, it will be delicious.

Citrusy Raspberry Cornmeal Cake with Lemon Curd Crème Fraîche
adapted from bleubird blog
makes one 9-inch cake

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 to 2 tbsp lemon curd
1/2 tsp grapefruit or lemon zest
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup sour cream
2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen


Preheat oven to 175C (350F). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; set aside. In another bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the lemon curd, zest and vanilla.

Set aside about 1/4 cup of the flour mixture. Stir in 1/2 of the remaining flour mixture to the wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in the sour cream, then the other half of the flour mixture until just combined. Combine the raspberries with the 1/4 cup of the flour mixture; fold in to the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool to room temperature before serving. Serve with a good dollop of lemon curd crème fraîche.


Lemon Curd Crème Fraîche: mix 1 cup of crème fraîche with 4 to 5 tbsp of lemon curd.

peanut butter & honey granola + raspberry compote

Before the year in the States, I don't think I ever actually had tasted peanut butter. When I moved to the States, I didn't quite understand the hype about peanut butter; why people would eat it straight from the jar by the spoonfuls. And I certainly didn't understand peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. To me, they seemed more like dessert than lunch.

Then, well, I lived in the States for a year. I, too, started to eat peanut butter by the spoonfuls (Peanut Butter & Co. is my favourite brand). The peanut butters sold here in Finland aren't quite as good, though, and so I have given up on eating it by the spoonfuls. This is not to say that they would actually taste bad. It's just different enough for me to not want to eat it as it is. Instead, I use peanut butter in cooking and baking when the craving for it comes.

All this is to say that peanut butter makes great sandwiches. Not only are they delicious but they also keep in the room temperature for a while. The Scandinavian sandwiches - which consist of deli ham and cheese, and sometimes gravlax and/or eggs - do not. I'm not really a fan of PB&J, though. I prefer my peanut butter sandwich with a sliced banana and sometimes honey if I want it sweeter.

Now, on to the granola. Fragrant honey and flavourful peanut butter combine wonderfully in this granola, making it a grown-up and somewhat more sophisticated version of the loved sandwich. It is fitting for breakfast or as a snack, even lunch. Some chocolate chips could turn this either into a very indulgent breakfast or a healthy dessert.

My favourite way to eat this is to top some plain Greek yoghurt with this granola and squeeze a little honey on top to enhance the flavour. However, as I started to think about peanut butter & jelly sandwiches while making this granola, I found myself craving the said sandwich. I, then, made a quick and easy raspberry compote from frozen raspberries to turn the sandwich into a yoghurt concoction of sorts. In case you are craving for a peanut butter & jelly sandwich as well, the recipe for the raspberry compote is also provided and highly recommended.

Peanut Butter & Honey Granola

makes 3 cups without any add-ins

1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey *

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt **

3 cups rolled oats

2 to 3 tbsp ground flaxseeds (optional)

Possible add-ins: 1/2 cup dry-roasted (or honey-roasted) peanuts; 1/2 cup dried fruit like raisins or banana chips; 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 130C (275F). In a small saucepan, combine the oil, peanut butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Heat the mixture over medium heat until liquid and runny. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the rolled oats and flaxseeds, if using. Stir until everything is coated with peanut butter, then pour the mixture on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 40 minutes, flipping once or twice while baking, until the granola is golden and crunchy.

Let the granola cool to room temperature. Add any of the add-ins, if desired. Store in an airtight container.

* This amount of honey results in a slightly sweetened granola, which is what I prefer. If you like your granola sweeter, I recommend adding up to 1/4 cup brown sugar. However, I like to just squeeze more honey on top of the granola if I happen to want it sweeter.

** The peanut butter I used was slightly salted and I found the 1/2 tsp of salt was the perfect amount for my granola. The amount of salt might need adjustment depending on whether or not your peanut butter is salted and how you like your granola.

Raspberry Compote

makes 1 cup

2 cups frozen raspberries

2  to 4 tbsp sugar, to taste

1 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tsp potato starch

Slowly thaw the frozen raspberries in a saucepan over medium heat. When the raspberries are starting to get thawed, after about 3 to 5 minutes, add in the sugar and vanilla. When the raspberries are starting to get mushy, add in the potato starch and mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then take off the heat. Let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating. The compote will get thicker after cooling down and refrigerating.

This recipe makes a thick compote. For a runnier compote, I recommend adding only 1/2 tsp potato starch.