I made a cake to take to the beach a few weeks ago.  I came across this raspberry buttermilk cake recipe on Smitten Kitchen’s blog and fell in love with the website for it’s simple yet savory everyday food.  I liked how the writer + cook called this cake an everyday cake.  After making it, I personally would like to call it a tea time cake, because it brings to mind relaxing tea, pretty napkins, a soft breeze and good laughs.

I used blackberries instead of raspberries, but really any berry will do — even cherries.  It comes out very soft and flaky, so you don’t mind very much even if you have just a little bit more.  Oh, and the the grated lemon zest is a nice touch too.

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
from Smitten Kitchen

“You can just ignore the word “raspberry” up there and swap it up with any which berry you please, like blackberries or blueberries or bits of strawberries or all of the above.  Makes one thin 9-inch cake, which might serve eight people, if you can pry it from first two people’s grasp.”

1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (146 grams) plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
1 large (57 grams) egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 oz)

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.  Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.  In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup (146 grams) sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about two minutes, then beat in vanilla and zest, if using.  Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.  Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top.  Scatter raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more.  Invert onto a plate.