Tuesday 20 January 2009

It's A Surprise!!



What is round on the outside, covered with whipped cream, topped with luscious berries and filled with a wonderful surprise of a deliciously whipped cream cheese filling and more berries?



Surprise! It's Dorie Greenspan's lovely Berry Surprise Cake, the recipe chosen for this week's Tuesdays With Dorie baking group by the lovely Mary Ann of Meet Me In The Kitchen. It can be found on pages 273 to 275 of that beautiful baking book, Baking, from my home to yours, by the equally as beautiful, Ms Dorie Greenspan.

Oh my goodness Mary Ann! I was so thrilled when you picked this recipe! It looked most delicious and was one that I had been eyeing up for quite some time. I had been hoping that someone would pick this one for us to bake and I was so happy when you did! Thankfully I was able to get it baked before my oven conked out too!! So I was doubly lucky!!!



We were having guests over on Saturday evening and so I had decided earlier in the week that I would make this for Saturday night. I now want a kitchen aid mixer more than ever. Do you know how long it takes to beat eggs and sugar to a ribbon consistency with a cheap hand mixer??? Too long is the answer!! Your arms will feel like they are going to fall off in fact! But I did it anyways . . . because I love this baking group, I love Mary Ann and most of all I love cake!

I don't have an 8 inch spring form pan, so I just baked it in a deep 8 inch cake tin that I had buttered and floured really well, and I had no problem whatsoever getting my cake out of the tin. Thankfully nothing untoward happened when I was baking the cake with my stove. ( It was only afterwards when I went to bake my cheese scones for the evening's get-together that it really started to act up and thankfully I was able to get it working for them as well.)



I had gone to the shops on Friday in pursuit of raspberries for the cake, but at over £3 a small punnet I decided I wasn't going to be able to use them. I'm not overly fond of raspberries in their raw state anyways. Back when I was a girl, my sister and I gorged ourselves eating raspberries stolen from a neighbours bush . . . so much so that I was sick later on . . . my dad was hoovering raspberry seeds from out of our cars carpet for years afterwards . . . but . . . I digress.

I decided to use blueberries.



Once the cake cooled we had to slice an even slice from off of the top and hollow the cake out, leaving a basket of cake to fill with the luscious filling. First though we had to brush the interior of the cake basket with a lovely sugar syrup. It had suggested using some framboise in the syrup to flavour it, but since I wasn't using raspberries I decided to use lime! I grated the zest of one lime into the syrup and then squeezed in some of it's juice.




D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S

So delicious in fact that I ended up dipping some of the torn out cake bits into the leftovers and eating them as I stood there, in ecstasy I might add.

The filling went together very easily and I added a bit of lime juice and zest to that as well. Mmmmmm . . . cream cheese, cream, fresh blueberries, sugar and lime . . . wonderful combination!



My only mistake was in over whipping the cream for the frosting. It said in the recipe to whip it until firm peaks formed, and my peaks were a bit too firm. However this can be fixed by stirring a little additional cream into the mix. Problem solved!

Can you believe that after all that I forgot to take it out of the fridge to serve my guests? I know, what am I like???? Oh well . . . Todd and I enjoyed it very much after we got home from church the next day. So much so that in fact, I ate my cake first and my dinner afterwards . . . again . . . what am i like??? (Shhh . . . don't answer that!)



All in all this cake was lovely and a cake that I can't wait to make again. I can see all kinds of fruit being delicious in it . . . peaches, nectarines, mango . . . I can clearly see I shall have to make it again soon! If you would like the recipe, pop on over to Mary Ann's page where it will be posted at some point today.

In the meantime feel free to check out the blog roll and see what all the other ladies have concocted. There are sure to be some really beautiful versions! Next week's recipe will be Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread on page 212, as chosen by Heather of Sherry Trifle.

On a side note, my new stove arrives sometime this morning, so I'll be back in the saddle again before the end of the day!!! Whew! Thank goodness! I have been really missing it! You know . . . it's disgusting when it is cheaper to buy a new stove than it is to have someone in to repair the old one . . . sad, but true . . .


43 comments:

  1. Marie, your cake turned out fabulously! I love that you used blueberries and lemon. What a great combination. I am sure it tasted wonderful!

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  2. That cake looks like heaven...yum yum....We have got to move close to each other so we can share....or should I say...you..can share. I'm afraid that I don't bake that often...mainly because John doesn't want sweets around to tempt him...and I would eat every crumb..there you have it.

    We have had a lovely day today with Claire. She had me make her little blog. Erin helped her spruce it up. We had a Royal tea party today and she posted it with my help. I told her my English blog friends have a real queen and real tea parties. She wants to move to England. If you get a chance she wants you to see her blog.

    I am happy you are getting a new stove today. I can't wait to see it.
    Claire and I must get to sleep. Her mom said not to let her stay up late so don't tell her that she is still awake. She is so excited over her new blog and she keeps checking the comments every ten minutes. I wonder where she gets that from???
    I went to Susan's give-away and put on in my blog. Thanks for the tip.

    Have a great day. Love, Lura

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  3. definitely a great cake. and yours looks lyke an even better rendition! blueberries! woah.. I wouldn't have shared this if I were you either. SSSshshh. don't tell anyone.

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  4. We just found your comment on Claire's blog. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit her. Your comment has made her very happy.

    Now maybe she will settle down and go to sleep...I told her that a Royal Princess needs to get her beauty rest.

    Thanks again and have a wonderful day.XOXOX lURA

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  5. I'd like it for breakfast right now! I made your Parkin, Marie-and it was wonderful. Thanks. I left a comment on your other blog :)

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  6. I'm glad you're getting your stove back! Marie, that cake looks like heaven. And I'm sorry I haven't gotten LFB to you yet. My goal is for Wednesday! I've been actually having to work at work...shocker, right? :)

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  7. Wow, seeing your pictures of what this cake is supposed to look like is making me doubly disappointed that my cake flopped on me. It looks just decadent! I think the blueberries and lime sound fabulous. Gorgeous cake!

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  8. It's always so lovely to visit you at the cottage -- your posts are so warm and cozy that I feel like I'm sitting by the fire with you. Love the cake with blueberries -- so glad you and Todd enjoyed it. Have fun with the new stove -- I know you'll use it to make many delicious sweets and meals.

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  9. Your guests really missed out on a delicious treat for sure. I hope you didn't tell them. Else they may be asking for a desert night to make up for the one missed.
    Glad your new stove is coming today. 'On Ya'-ma

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  10. This cake is dazzlingly beautiful, Marie...it looks so good, so decadent...and LOVE the blueberries...mmm...I feel so hungry now--LOL! So very, very glad you're new stove/oven arrives today...that you'll be back to making and baking in no time. ;o) Happy Day, sweet friend. LOVE YOU! ((BIG HUGS))

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  11. Beautiful, beautiful Marie!
    And very intelligent to have picked blueberries... not a great time of year for raspberries anyways, huh!?

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  12. MMMMM! What a lucious treat! It sounds absolutely delightful! I can't believe that of all the tools you need, you do not have a stand mixer!! I am not nearly in your league, and I can't live without mine. Crazy girl! Can't wait to see what comes out of your new oven!! Have a great day!

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  13. Oh Marie
    That looks out of this world delicious! If there is any left I'll be right over.
    Hugs, Rhondi

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  14. That looks divine...and sooooo naughty for my diet. Luckily, you don't gain weight on your birthday so I may have to make this for myself next week!

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  15. OH...it is brilliant!

    Just brilliant!!!

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  16. Marie, that cake looks divine! I have got to make that soon!

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  17. Beautiful! I will have to try blueberries in it sometime!I am sure yours was delicious!

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  18. Ooh yours looks lovely! I too have blueberries for the cake today.

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  19. I love all the flavour combinations here Marie. I can't wait for blueberry season to try this..have to have it now.

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  20. I adore blueberries and what a stunning cake this is Marie!! Pure heaven on a plate.

    Sorry I've not called by in a while due to illness but back now and enjoying reading your posts.

    Rosie x

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  21. Your cake looks great! I love the idea of the lime syrup in the middle too. I cant wait to see the cake many times more with different fillings! :) xx

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  22. wow, looks absolutely delicious! i loved this cake with blackberries.

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  23. That looks delicious, Marie, and I love the lime/blueberry combo. Yum.
    The very first scratch cake I ever made I forgot to serve. It happens!

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  24. That looks sooooooooo good...worth the mixing arm I am sure

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  25. Your cake looks gorgeous. I love the blueberries. I think forgetting to give it to your guests was a subconscious way of keeping more for yourself. :P

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  26. Blueberry's are 37p a punnet in ASDA, I bought 6 over the weekend, we love em!
    Gaz x

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  27. What a wonderful combination. My kinda flopped but seeing yours make me want to go back and try again.

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  28. Marie, That cake really takes the cake! It looks so delicious I can almost taste it. I love blueberries. We used to live in Michigan and pick them at farms there. They were so large and delicious.
    I gave you an award Monday. Come by my blog to get it. You are inspiring to so many. Thanks. Congratulations.

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  29. The pictures of the cake are luscious. I don't like blueberries, but I'd try this if someone offered it to me. I'm getting hungry now... oh, yeah, it's dinner time here. Have a good week!

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  30. Beautiful Blueberries!!! And the cake looks absolutely fantastic. But, then, we would expect nothing less..... Always a pleasure to visit.

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  31. I'm so impressed. Your cake turned out so well. Love the blueberries. and I LOVE the song on your blog!!

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  32. Marie:

    The cake looks delightful.

    When your stove comes in, you should post a photo of yourself preparing the first goodie on the new stove.

    I inherited my mom's 1940's O'Keefe & Merrit stove. I'm still waiting for the day that I can re-do my kitchen so it can fit. It's the stove that I grew up with and learned how to cook on.

    Kim
    Garden Painter Art
    Musty Boxes Ephemera

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  33. It's beautiful Marie! I need to try a cake like this, I just love the idea of hollowing it out and filling it up!

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  34. Oh my goodness does that cake look wonderful. I wanted to reach right into my monitor and grab that slice. Loved your story about the raspberries . .. when you were a child, etc. Gave me a good laugh.

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  35. Oh my! That looks incredible! I just love reading your blog Marie. I don't comment near enough, but thanks for taking time out of your day to always be a comment on mine! It makes me smile every time. Sending all my love to you, Todd, and of course to Jess!

    Love, Nicole

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  36. Goodness Marie - that cake is soooo beautiful! I think it is the pretties food picture you have posted yet!

    Delicious!!!!

    XOXOXOXOX
    Jen

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  37. YIKES!!!! What ARE you like? A lady who is a wonderful cook and .....well..... you have to have little cook's tasters don't you? That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! Truly, I'm worse than that: I have to throw any crumbs or blind baked pastry trimmings or even (specially in fact) uncooked cake mixture straight into the bin or else they go straight into me. Oooh I do love raw cake mixtures, never mind what kind!

    What did you give your guests for dessert? WHAT a shame they didn't get any special cake -heh heh heh! So tinned rice pudding it was then? Ignore me, I'm being naughty.

    love, Angie, xx

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  38. That looks amazing! I would love to make that sometime!

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  39. I dont have words to this!! maybe.... yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!huggs Gloria

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  40. Your cake looks beautiful! I love the lemon-blueberry combo.

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  41. yummmmmmmmmmmmmmm
    i could eat it right off the page! (or the monitor, as the case may be)

    come over and make me one of those Marie!!!

    and what lovely plates - I am a sucker for stripes.

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  42. That blueberry cake looks so good!

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