Saturday, June 22, 2019

SUMMER SWIRL

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It’s June. What a great month! It's the beginning of summer. Schools are out. Days are sunny... And it is berry season. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, oh my! And my most favorite berry of all, red raspberries. Every June I make raspberry jam. All year long I enjoy the magic of red raspberries on a bagel, sandwiched between sugar cookies, mixed in yogurt and as a classic, layered between buttercream frosting and fluffy white cake. The best of red raspberries captured in a jar. Red raspberries are so versatile. So with berries everywhere this time of year, this is my take for a perfect summer treat paired with lemons (who doesn't love lemons) and red raspberries swirled into a simple cake. Beautiful and yummy.


This cake is a head turner. You win big points when you serve this at your next dinner party. It is a perfect summer cake. 


Love this pan, a swirl for a swirl. To purchase...Link here. The official name is Heritage Bundt Pan by Nordic Ware. I think it's beautiful.


Lemon Red Raspberry Swirl Cake-
1 C. Butter
4 Large Eggs
2 Tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Buttermilk
½ C. Lemon Juice
1 Tsp. Lemon Extract
2 2/3 C. Cake Flour
1 ¼ Tsp. Baking Soda
1 ¼ Tsp. Baking Powder

Swirl-
2 C. Fresh Red Raspberries
½ C. Red Raspberry Jam

Glaze-
2 C. Confectioners Sugar
½ C. Butter
Lemon Crystals
1-3 Tbs. Lemon Juice


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.




Generously cover the inside of the pan with a liberal amount of soft butter. I find the best way to do this is just roll up your sleeves and use your fingers. Cover every little bit of the pan. Set pan aside.




In a stand mixer blend butter and sugar together.


Add vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice and blend.


Blend in all four eggs.



In a separate container, mix cake flour, baking soda and baking powder together.



Sift a small amount of the flour mix into the batter and blend.


Add a small amount of buttermilk to the mix. 


Alternate sifting flour mix and buttermilk into the batter until all the flour and buttermilk has been added.


Measure two cups of red raspberries in a cup.


Slightly mash them with a wooden spoon.


Microwave 1/2 cup of red raspberry jam for 10-20 seconds- just enough to make the jam runny, not hot. Add jam to the mashed raspberries.


Pour batter into swirl pan.


Drop by spoonfuls the jam/mashed raspberries into the cake batter.



Swirl the raspberries around inside the cake with a knife.

Bake cake for 40 minutes. Test with a bamboo skewer to see if it comes out clean. Keep an eye on your cake, do not over bake. 

Remove from oven and set to cool on a baking rack.

Let cake cool completely before removing cake from pan.


I use this skinny little silicone spatula to run down the sides of the pan to gently separate cake from pan.

Place a plate over the bottom of the cake and flip over. Tap the sides with the palm of your hands.
The cake should slowly slide out. 



Perfect!


Measure confectioners sugar and place in a mixing bowl.


Melt butter and add to the confectioners sugar and whisk.


I use these lemon crystals in everything. They are amazing. I add 4-5 packets, you can add as many as you like. The lemon crystals offer a nice lemony tartness to the glaze.


Add lemon juice one tablespoon at a time. Whisk.


One the glaze turns into a drizzle you can pour small amounts of lemon glaze on each swirl.




Add a few berries and you have one dramatic cake!



Berry Happy June!

Saturday, June 8, 2019

SUMMER SOLAR GARDEN

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There is something about the sound of water. A splash. A gurgle. A spray. It is the perfect complement to any garden. I need one. So, without further to-do, this is my first attempt of adding flowing water to my summer garden. Consider this the first step, a baby step, a soft introduction. And as with all my projects, it must be simple. It must be beautiful. Simple, yes. Beautiful, yes. Relaxing, yes. One word… Heavenly.


This is the solar water fountain I chose to use. I like it because, like all solar water fountains, it is simple but unique because of the added feature of a back-up battery to store sunlight for prolong use. To purchase…Link here.



What you will need is a container without holes in the bottom (or anywhere) for your fountain. I have this beautiful crock just waiting for a project just like this. It is large and has a finishing glaze on it, so it is perfect for holding water and for outdoor use. It must be brought in during the winter season or it will crack. A galvanized tub or container is also a good choice. Just look around, there are so many suitable choices, just chose one that complements your outdoor space.




The beauty of this fountain is it runs on solar power. No cords. No pumps. Limited hassle. It just needs to sit in a spot that gets sun. The longer the sun shines on this pump, the longer your fountain will work.


Because there are no attached cords, it can be mobile, you can easily move the crock around anywhere your please. How sweet is that?

Crocks can be purchased in numerous places. I bought this one at my local nursery. I like it because it is a version of some old English salt glaze crocks that I purchased from the Williamsburg Pottery Factory in Virginia years ago. And I love them dearly.

First clean your crock (container).



Fill with water.


Remove the nozzles from the package.


Assemble by snapping the three pieces together. There are several different combinations to assemble the nozzles for different affects. You choose, they are all fun.




Place the solar pump into the crock in direct sunlight. Wait about 20 seconds, then attach the nozzle. This is to remove any air inside the pump. Attach nozzle to pump. And ta-da! Instant water action!


About once a month you will need to clean the pump to remove debris, algae and anything else that can land in your fountain. Simply remove nozzle, soak in water and a small amount of Clorox, rinse and let dry before placing back onto the pump. You should also clean the crock/container too. Placing a small amount of Clorox-about 1/4 cup/gallon in your fountain will help limit algae growth. And I heard it keeps mosquitoes away from your fountain.



Take a bow. Now relax and enjoy summer!


Heavenly. My idea of summer home.