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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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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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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Rhubarb-Apple Cake with Almonds
A great baking project for an afternoon at home. Top with a dollop of our sweetened crème fraîche!
Ingredients:
1½ cups diced rhubarb
1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and thinly sliced
1¼ cups sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1â…” cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
â…“ cup sliced almonds
Pinch of salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease a 9-inch round pan.
2. Beat 1¼ cups sugar and the butter together using an electric mixer until well blended, light, and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition.
3. Turn mixer to low speed and slowly add in flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt, mixing just until combined. Fold in rhubarb. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top and place apple slices in a circular pattern on the batter. Sprinkle the almonds and a little additional sugar on top.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool, and serve warm or cold.
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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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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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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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F&L Apple Cake
Moist and incredibly flavorful, this apple cake comes together in just minutes!
Ingredients:
F&L apple cake mix
2 eggs
2 apples, cored and diced
Toasted walnuts and cranberries
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs and diced apples with the toasted walnuts and cranberries from this week’s delivery, and stir well to combine.
2. Pour batter into a greased cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm.
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Baked Cinnamon Apples
A truly homey dessert, packed with our signature sweet filling.
Ingredients:
4 baking apples, such as Lady Alice
Farm & Larder baked apple filling
2½ tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup rum or brandy
½ cup heavy cream (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Core the apples using a sharp paring knife or melon baller, scooping out some of the flesh, but leaving the apples whole and intact. Make a slit around the middle of each apple.
3. Place Farm & Larder filling in a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Drizzle the remaining butter in a small baking dish. Place the apples in the dish. Stuff the hollows with the filling mixture, packing densely. Pour the rum or brandy over the apples.
4. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake the apples for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and spoon some of the pan juices over the apples. Bake, uncovered, until the apples are cooked through, about 30 minutes longer. Whisk the cream with a fork until lightly thickened, drizzle over apples, and serve.
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Baked Lady Apples
A true classic, this beautiful dessert is lovely topped with crème fraîche.
Ingredients:
4 Lady apples
½ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup boiling water
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Rinse and dry the apples. Using a sharp paring knife or apple corer, cut out the cores, leaving the bottom ½-inch of the apples intact. (If using a paring knife, first cut out the stem area and then use a small metal spoon to scoop out the seeds). Cut the holes so that they are an inch or so wide.
2. Place the apples in a baking dish and stuff each apple with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle each with cinnamon.
3. Pour the boiling water into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until the apples are cooked through and tender, but not overcooked and mushy. When done, remove the apples from the oven and baste them with the juices from the pan. Serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or crème fraîche.
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