Happy Holidays

Wow!  Here it is—almost the end of 2014.  The year has gone by so fast.  So fast that I have not kept up   my blog.

Fall in Fair Play has been spectacular.   The colors in the orchards and vineyards have been absolutely brilliant.  The last storm blew off most of the leaves, but the yellows and oranges linger.  

At Lucinda’s we had a wonderful summer and fall.  We have had many “first timers” with us and hope they will return to join our Friends of Lucinda’s.  

The recipe I have chosen uses fresh cranberries so is appropriate for this time of year.  It is from the November 2011 issue of Bon Appetit.  It is excellent plain, with the lemon glaze, or with the accompanying citrus-cranberry compote,  or both.

Cranberry Spice Cake

Cake:

1-1/2 C. flour                                                                             ¾ tsp. Cinnamon

¾ tsp. kosher salt                                                                       ¾ tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. baking powder                                                                  ½ tsp. baking soda

3 C. (8 oz.) fresh cranberries                                                       2/3 C. sugar

2/3 C. (packed) dark brown sugar                                              ½ C. vegetable oil

2 large eggs                                                                                ½ C. sour cream

1 T. grated orange zest                                                                2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 tsp. vanilla                                                                                ½ C. apple cider

Preheat oven to 350.  Coat bottom and sides of 8” square cake pan with nonstick spray.  Line bottom with parchment paper, coating paper with spray.  Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.  Pulse cranberries in food processor til finely chopped  but not pureed; set aside.  Stir sugar, brown sugar and oil in another medium bowl to blend.  Add eggs, one at a time, stirring to blend between additions.  Whisk in sour cream, orange and lemon zest, and vanilla.  Whisk in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the cider in 2 additions and whisking to blend.  Fold in chopped cranberries.  Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.  Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center of cake domes out almost clean – 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes.  Transfer pan to wire rack; let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes.  Run a thin knife around inside of pan to release cake, turn out cake onto rack.  Peel off parchment paper, then flip cake and let cool for 20 minutes.  (You can let the cake set overnight if  you are not using the lemon glaze).

Lemon Glaze:

1 C.  powdered sugar                                                                     2 tsp grated lemon zest

3 T. strained lemon juice                                                                 1/8 tsp. kosher salt

Whisk powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl.  Spread glaze over warm cake, allowing it to drip down sides.  Let stand til glaze becomes crackly, about 1 hour.  Cake with glaze can be made 2 days ahead; store airtight at room temp.

Citrus Cranberry Compote

1 orange                                                                                   2 C. (8 oz) fresh cranberries

1 C. maple syrup                                                                      ¼ C. orange juice

½ tsp. vanilla

Grate zest from orange and set aside.  Cut off peel and pith from orange.  Working over a small bowl cut between membranes to release segments into bowl.  Combine zest, cranberries, syrup, juice, and vanilla in medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst and sauce has thickened, 5-10 minutes.  Chill until cold.  Gently stir orange segments into compote.  Can be made 3 days ahead.  Cover and chill.  Return to room temp before serving.

Enjoy.  Happy Holidays.  I’ll be back next year.

Lucinda