Blackberry Spoon Cake

The Eternal City has nearly exited the sleepy August period, and is slowly returning to its usual bustling itself. Shops and restaurants are re-opening, the metro is once again crowded, and the city’s inhabitants are trickling back from their respective vacations, as evidenced by their spectaular tans. I personally prefer Rome in its rare but annual state: calmer, subdued, more manageable, in many ways; but maybe this is because I associate the return of its liveliness with the end of summer, my favorite time of year. “E’ finita la pacchia,” as we say in Italian, or rather: the party’s over.

Here then is the last recipe of the season, because who are we kidding? Though summer officially ends on the 21st of September, its a month synonymous with back-to-school, cooler weather, and the faint beginnings of pumpkin spice season. September is pretty much Fall, I’m afraid.

A few weeks back I mentioned my neighbor Antonella, who owns a stupendous fruit and veg store next door to my apartment. She keeps my fridge full and my cooking and baking exceptional year around, ensuring I’m stocked with top notch fennel and pears in the Winter, peas and artichokes in the Spring, tomatoes and cherries in the summer, and apples and pumpkin in the Fall. And lately? A basket of plump, deeply sapphire blackberries, wrapped in brown paper and picked from her very own garden. She informed me that these were not your average more, (blackberries) but rather berries that were tart, and piccanti, or zesty. In other words: these were blackberries with a kick. She instructed me that I could, of course, eat them as they were, but the underlying message was clear: what can you bake with these?

The answer to that question is this spoon cake, which — as the name suggests — is tender enough to eat with a spoon, no fork required. Blackberries abound here, bubbling and collapsing in the oven and releasing their juices, leaving the center moist and pudding-like. The cake itself is buttery and tender, boasting a hint of cinnamon, and full discretion: it’s on the sweeter side. Never fear, though: the sugar is balanced out nicely by the berries, as tart and snappy as Antonella promised. This probably goes without saying, but: this sweet is spectacuarly good eaten warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Leftovers would also make for a delightful breakfast.

The verdict? This got rave reviews from Antonella, who mused about bringing this sweet into autumn with figs or thinly sliced apples (she has me covered on both fronts). In the meantime: enjoy the rest of The Best Season of the Year, my friends, and be sure to close it out with this cake.

A couple of notes: Feel free to use raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or a mix of berries instead of all blackberries, depending on the season. I will also be experimenting with a Fall version, as mentioned above. The cinnamon here is optional. Refrigerate any leftovers, covered, for up to four days.

Looking for more summer dessert recipes? Click here.
Looking for more fruit desserts? Click here.

BLACKBERRY SPOON CAKE

Serves 6. Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.

Ingredients for the fruit:
2 1/2 to 3 cups (430g to 450g) blackberries
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
A few squeezes of lemon juice

Ingredients for the batter:
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 cup (130g) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (57g) whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center. In a medium bowl, toss together the berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Let sit until the fruit is has started to release its juice, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Once the fruit is ready, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Next, whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl.

Place the butter in an 8” square pan or 1 1/2- or 2-qt. baking dish and put it in the oven to melt; it’ll take 4 to 6 minutes using butter that’s cold from the fridge. Once the butter has melted, swirl it around in the baking dish so it coats the sides, then pour it into the flour mixture and stir with a spatula to thoroughly combine. Add the milk mixture and whisk well to incorporate.

Immediately transfer the batter to the warm buttered baking dish, then gently spoon the macerated blackberries and its juice over the top. The fruit mixture should cover the batter almost entirely with a few bare spots peeking through.

Bake until golden brown and puffed, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.