Cherry-Rhubarb Polenta Cake
Our spin on the cheery Italian-style torta di polenta cake featured in this month’s Edible Seattle magazine.
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped into ½-inch pieces
2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 cup baker’s or granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon flour, for coating the pan
2 cups almond flour
3 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice of ½ orange
Zest of 2 oranges
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon polenta
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons almond slivers, for garnish
Method:
1. In a bowl, mix rhubarb and cherries with turbinado sugar. Set aside for about an hour at room temperature, or until all the sugar is dissolved.
2. Preheat oven to 325°. Using wrappers from the butter, grease then flour a 9-inch cake pan and cut a circular piece of parchment paper to cover the bottom. (A springform pan is ideal for this recipe, but if you don’t have one, slide two extra thin strips of parchment underneath lining, leaving excess on both sides. This will create ‘handles’ to help you pull out the cake once it is finished.)
3. Using a stand or hand-held mixer, beat the softened butter and baker’s/granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes at medium speed). Stir in the almond flour, then beat in the eggs one at a time, until batter is airy and soft. With a large spoon, fold in vanilla extract, orange juice and zest. Add polenta, baking powder and salt, folding in gently. Fold cardamom gently in as well.
4. Spoon the batter into prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Take one cup of the marinated rhubarb and cherries out of their syrup and drain on a paper towel. Press piece gently into the batter and scatter almonds over top. Set cake pan on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until the cake set in the middle and deep golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let sit 5-10 minutes. Gently remove from pan and leave on a wire rack to cool.
5. Cook the remaining rhubarb and cherries over medium-low heat until liquid has reduced and is thick and syrupy. Serve over finished cake with fresh cream, ice cream or crème fraîche.
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Lemon-Olive Oil Polenta Cake
This rustic cake has a slightly-crunchy texture courtesy of polenta and is beautifully flavored by olive oil.
Ingredients:
Farm & Larder lemon olive oil cake mix
½ cup olive oil
1 cup milk or buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup crème fraîche or whipped cream
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch cake pan or cast iron skillet with 2-inch sides with some of the olive oil.
2. Whisk together milk or buttermilk, eggs, lemon peel, vanilla, and olive oil. Pour the cake mix into this milk mixture and fold together with a spatula until just combined; do not over-mix. Scrape batter into greased pan and spread evenly.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Immediately run a knife around edge of cake, and turn cake out onto a cooling rack. Allow cake to cool before cutting.
4. To serve, slice cake into wedges and top with your choice of fresh berries and a generous dollop of crème fraîche.
For optional cake glaze: Combine ¾ cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, adding more lemon juice if needed. Drop by spoonfuls over cake after it has been placed on cooling rack, spreading within half an inch of the cake’s sides.
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Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Strawberries
This rustic cake has a slightly-crunchy texture courtesy of polenta and is beautifully flavored by olive oil.
Ingredients:
Farm & Larder lemon olive oil cake mix
½ cup olive oil
1 cup milk or buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
¾ cup crème fraîche or whipped cream
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch cake pan or cast iron skillet with 2-inch sides with some of the olive oil.
2. Whisk together milk or buttermilk, eggs, lemon peel, vanilla, and olive oil. Pour the cake mix into this milk mixture and fold together with a spatula until just combined; do not over-mix. Scrape batter into greased pan and spread evenly.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Immediately run a knife around edge of cake, and turn cake out onto a cooling rack. Allow cake to cool before cutting.
4. To serve, slice cake into wedges and top with sliced strawberries and a generous dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream.
For optional cake glaze: Combine ¾ cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, adding more lemon juice if needed. Drop by spoonfuls over cake after it has been placed on cooling rack, spreading within half an inch of the cake’s sides.
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Rhubarb-Apple Cake
Finish with our signature cherry-almond topping, and you’ve got dessert!
Ingredients:
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
1¼ cup flour
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1 apple, such as Pink Lady, peeled and grated
2-3 stalks rhubarb, chopped
F&L cherry-almond topping
Confectioner’s sugar for serving
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter and flour a 9 or 10-inch springform pan.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer until light and fluffy. On the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time. Slowly add the flour, salt, ricotta, lemon zest, baking powder, rhubarb and apple.
3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and top with F&L cherry-almond topping. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the sides start to pull away from the pan. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and cool completely on the rack. Sift powdered sugar over top and serve with more freshly-sliced apples.
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F&L Rhubarb Cake
Moist and incredibly flavorful, this cake comes together in just minutes!
Ingredients:
F&L cake mix
2 eggs
4-6 stalks rhubarb, diced
½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the apple cake mix, eggs, diced rhubarb and toasted walnuts, stirring well to combine.
2. Pour batter into a greased cake pan and back for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm.
Variation: This is also lovely baked in a cast-iron pan as an upside down cake. For this method, melt â…“ cup butter and â…“ cup sugar in a cast iron pan over medium-low heat, then pour in the mixed cake batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and invert the pan on a rimmed plate. Let sit 5 minutes then carefully remove the pan from the cake.
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Polenta Cake with Italian Prune Plums
This luscious cake is kissed with juicy Italian plums and citrus peel.
Ingredients:
4 Italian prune plums, pitted and cut into wedges
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
1½ teaspoons baking powder
â…› teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
4 egg yolks, plus 2 full eggs
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon or orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
Crème fraîche for serving (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease and flour bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan; line bottom with a 9-inch circle of parchment paper. Arrange plums on parchment in pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over the plums. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and beat until light. Add egg yolks and eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add lemon peel and vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in the flour mixture. Spoon batter over plums in pan and spread evenly.
4. Bake about 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool cake completely. Invert cake onto serving platter; remove bottom of pan and parchment. If desired, serve with crème fraîche.
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Strawberry-Rhubarb Coffee Cake
We love this moist coffee cake come morning, noon or night!
Ingredients:
For filling:
3 cups sliced fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 quart fresh strawberries, mashed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sugar
â…“ cup cornstarch
For cake:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1½ cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For topping:
¼ cup butter
¾ cup flour
¾ cup sugar
Method:
1. In a large saucepan, combine rhubarb, strawberries and lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Combine sugar and cornstarch; stir into saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt from the cake ingredient list. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat buttermilk, eggs and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture.
3. Spread half of the batter evenly into a greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Carefully spread filling on top. Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls over filling.
4. For topping, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in flour and sugar until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Place coffee cake on middle rack; bake 40-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares.
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F&L Summer Fruit Cake
Moist and incredibly flavorful, this summer fruit cake comes together in just minutes!
Ingredients:
F&L summer fruit cake mix
2 eggs
2 cups of summer fruit or berries, diced if needed
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, diced fruit or berries, stirring well to combine.
2. Pour batter into a greased cake pan and back for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm.
Variation: This is also lovely baked in a cast-iron pan as an upside down cake. For this method, melt â…“ cup butter and â…“ cup sugar in a cast iron pan over medium-low heat, then pour in the mixed cake batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and invert the pan on a rimmed plate. Let sit 5 minutes then carefully remove the pan from the cake.
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Cherry-Rhubarb Crisp
A quick and easy dessert—simply toss with the following ingredients, then sprinkle with our signature crisp topping.
Ingredients:
3 cups rhubarb, washed and chopped
2 cups cherries, washed and pitted
1½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1-2 tablespoons of butter
F&L fruit crisp topping
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Toss the rhubarb and cherries with the sugar and cornstarch. Place in oven safe dish and add butter dabs to the top.
3. Sprinkle the fruit crisp topping evenly over the rhubarb, covering it completely. Bake until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is bubbling.
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Irish Apple Cake
Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, this delicious apple cake is sure to be a new favorite.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
4 apples, cored, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon each vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Generously grease an 8-inch square cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, apples, nuts, and vanilla and stir well. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix well.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake about 45 minutes, until the cake is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake set in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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