Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb

I finally found fresh cranberries! Oddly enough, I have not always been able to find them at the supermarkets and by chance, a packet of fresh cranberries caught my eye last weekend and I was determined to dig up my all my cranberry recipes and bake one! So, this week's baked good is the Cranberry Buckle topped with a simple vanilla crumb.

The best part about these different types of berries is that you can freeze them, this means you don't have to use them as soon as you buy them. However, I come to realise that cranberries are kinda a lil too sour for me. I don't know if it was the batch I bought but I still prefer its fellow berries - blueberries, raspberries, etc.

But, the cake of this buckle is really soft and fluffy and super super yummy. It makes such a satisfying afternoon snack!



Here's what you'll need:

Vanilla crumb:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cranberry buckle:
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Vanilla crumb: Whisk together the flour, white and brown sugars and salt. Then cut in the butter (cut into small cubes) with a fork or knife until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Then drizzle the vanilla extract all over. Set it aside.


2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 inch square cake pan.

3. Cranberry buckle: Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk them together and set it aside.

4. Cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy.

5. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla extract.

6. Mix in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream, starting and ending with the flour (flour - sour cream - flour - sour cream - flour). Mix well after each addition.

7. Fold in 1 cup of cranberry with a rubber spatula.

8. Pour the batter into the cake pan and spread the top evenly.

9. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cranberry on top of the batter.

10. Sprinkle the vanilla crumb all over the cake pan.

11. Bake for 45 - 50 mins, until the top is golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let it cool on a wire rack for 20 mins and cut into 9 squares. And.....dig in!

Birthday baking!

Like I said previously, this week's baked goods are solely for my better half who turns another year older yesterday. His favourite cake in the world is simple the butter cake. So I baked that on Wednesday and his has been stuffing his face with it after dinner and breakfast. This is always easy to bake and always yummy, it never fails me.

And he didn't want a real big round layered cake so I baked cupcakes instead! Yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting. SOOOOOOO YUMMY! I especially loved the pretty candles!

Both recipes have been posted before so browse through my 2009 archive for the recipes.

I must say I thought I would feel a certain kind of pressure baking this week since it was for a specific occasion. Surprisingly, it was a breeze! Maybe because these aren't first attempts and when you put your heart into what you're baking, you know it'll turn out extra yummy. *winks*

I'm still here...

Haven't posted in 2 weeks! That's cos I haven't baked in 2 weeks. I have been busy stuffing my face over the festive season, a trip to NYC, playing in the snow, watching tons of awesome movies and of cos, shopping through the festive sale. But, I have missed baking and I am going to get back to it this week.

However, this week's baked goods will be solely dedicated to my better half. It's his birthday this Thursday and he has requested for nothing but a loaf of butter cake. Dashed my hopes of baking a real birthday cake with cream and strawberries. That's ok! Like I said, it's the birthday boy's request this week.

But, I can't stop myself, I don't just wanna eat a slice of butter cake this week, so I might bake up cupcakes...hur hur hur!

Happy new year everyone! Here's to more baked goods in 2010!