Barbecuing a black-out blueberry cake.
July 27, 2008 at 12:32 pm (Food)
The number of power outages in the Yukon boggles the mind. If nothing else, they certainly make us aware of how much we rely on electricity. I had just finished pouring the batter on top of berries for an upside-down cake when we experienced a black-out in my area. Since I had just bragged on Kara’s blog, the banana bread baking goddess, about having baked a banana bread in a barbecue once, I decided I’d try it again with this cake:
Barbecued Cake
Heat the BBQ on high for a few minutes. Then turn one side off, and reduce the other setting to medium. Place cake on upper level opposite the side that’s turned on for indirect heat.
Nicely done!
Upside-Down Cake
This was supposed to be an upside-down blueberry cake, but I didn’t have enough blueberries, so I added strawberries to make up the rest. The cake was delicious.
Scrabble & Cake
We played a game of Scrabble (I won – yeah!), ate some cake, and the power returned. Here’s the recipe for anyone interested. It’s from a eighty-something woman I knew many years ago:
Blueberry Upside-Down Cake (or any other berry)
3/4 cups butter or margarine 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 2 cups fresh berries, washed (or frozen berries, drained & thawed)2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 1/2 cups sifted flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk
- Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in 9″x9″x2″ pan.
- Sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Mix berries with lemon rind; put in pan, distributing evenly.
- Cream rest of butter (1/2 cup) with granulated sugar, and beat until light. Add egg and beat well.
- Sift dry ingredients together.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to butter/sugar mixture, beating until smooth.
- Spread on top of berries.
- Bake in 375° oven for 30 minutes. (I do the toothpick check.)
- Let stand 10 minutes, then turn out onto plate.
P.S. You can use more berries.
Kara said,
July 27, 2008 at 12:55 pm
That is so spiffy that you did it in the bbq!! We love making upside down cake, perfect for fruit that is nearing the end of its lifespan. Our favorite is definitely blueberry.
yukonchatterbug said,
July 27, 2008 at 1:00 pm
With those wild strawberries of yours, I can imagine how good the cake would be. (Aargh….I wanna go strawberry picking!!!)
Tammy said,
July 27, 2008 at 3:18 pm
The power outages are getting on my nerves, too. At least this time of year, we aren’t cold and dark!
Stacie said,
July 27, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Oh why did I even bother getting power!!!??? Oh yeah, ’cause gas for the generator is FREAKING EXPENSIVE!!!!
Mmmm… banana bread loooks soooooooooo good!
fawnahareo said,
July 27, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Why DON’T you go strawberry picking?
yukonchatterbug said,
July 27, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Tammy, I hear ya. Much better than last winter’s black-out. It was getting mighty cold at -35C before the power finally came back.
Stacie, there’s no way around it I guess.
Fawn, if you can take me to a spot, I’ll be happy to come along. People are very very secretive about their berry patches, as they were back home. I knew all the good spots back home. Here, I have no clue. My last trip berry picking in the Yukon was disappointing, and I vowed never to go again without someone who KNEW.
Kara said,
July 27, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Well you only have short drive to Faro and the berries are everywhere here! Come on over! And bring a cake with you
yukonchatterbug said,
July 28, 2008 at 3:26 am
Very, very tempting, Kara.
Michele said,
July 28, 2008 at 7:06 am
Yum, that looks delicious! And way to improvise with the BBQ!
yukonchatterbug said,
July 28, 2008 at 11:58 am
Thanks Michele. Gotta do whatcha gotta do!