The stories of my life on a little island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea ... and my occasional adventures beyond these shores.

Tuesday 8 December 2015

Kitchen tales: Cranberry cake

I have a confession to make. I do not like to cook. But that’s probably a sweeping statement. I just don’t like to cook meals but I absolutely love to bake goodies. With me it’s all about the sweet stuff – or maybe I should say that it’s all about the chocolate stuff. Chocolate. Mint. Lemon. My favourite dessert flavours. I consider nearly all others to be a waste of calories. I have come to the realisation that I don’t have enough years left here to earth to bake all the wonderful desserts in some of my favourite recipe books or that I have pinned in my Cakes, Cupcakes, Cookies and Brownies board on Pinterest.
But, as usual, I digress. It has become something of a tradition that every time there is a holiday or a celebration of some sort, I always volunteer to make dessert: baking, it’s one of life’s greatest pleasures. So every Thanksgiving (to mention just one of the holidays) my husband cooks the turkey (or the ham or the capon) and I take care of the dessert. And nearly every year we have a small argument. Well, not quite an argument, but you know what I mean. I find traditional Thanksgiving desserts to be too sweet and cloying – like they’ve been doused in syrup and I don’t find that appealing at all. I am also ‘banned’ from making anything with chocolate in it (because I make a chocolate-something for nearly ever other dessert during the year). Add that to the fact that I don’t really like anything with pumpkin in it (because pumpkin is a vegetable and, in my opinion, it shouldn’t qualify as a dessert in any way, shape or form) and I have quite a dilemma on my hands. My challenge is to find something special (sans chocolat) but without that over-the-top sweetness that will give everyone a sugar high that will last till sunrise.
This year I was about to despair because I couldn’t quite find anything special enough or that would be given the green light by my partner in kitchen escapades. And then, just two days before Thanksgiving, I found this recipe for Glazed Lemon Cranberry Cake on Annie’s Eats* (via Pinterest, of course). My  instinct told me it would be sheer perfection. And it was. The cake is easy to make, gorgeous to look at (even if mine had a slight, ahem,  accident while I was taking it out of the bundt pan) and it is the perfect combination of tangy and sweet. Above all it was given a thumbs up by The American and my dad and uncle had a second helping because it just makes you want to eat more instead of making you feel as stuffed as a turkey.
Thanksgiving 086
Yes, I know, my food photography skills leave a lot to be desired.
With Thanksgiving done and dusted (I can’t believe it’s already been two weeks) I am now searching for the perfect Christmas dessert recipe.
*Annie credits the original recipe to Williams-Sonoma. I’ve linked to the original recipe below. I read both recipes and there is barely any difference between the two.
Links:
I have decided to started Kitchen Tales so that, every now and then. I will share a favourite recipe with you. And don’t worry, I am not turning this into a food blog. I am not exactly Ina Garten or Martha Stewart.

8 comments:

  1. Your cake looks delicious!

    Brown bread can be used as bases with other flavors like maple mousse filling. Leave the syrup dripping for whoever wants to add it because it can get too sweet with all the maple mousse. Or you can use the maple mousse as a base. There's a lovely recipe on Pinterest using it in almond in crispy almond baskets.
    I just followed your board, and pinned a few desserts as well. :)

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  2. Your cake looks delicious -- all those lovely cranberries to munch through. Yum! I too enjoy chocolate and lemon desserts. I do love a nice lemon cheesecake now and then.

    My first time visit here via View From Harmony Hills -- so glad I stopped in. I'm enjoying browsing through your recent posts.

    Wishing you a beautiful day...
    Brenda

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  3. Thank you so much for featuring your cranberry cake recipe as I love both cranberries and lemon. I baked the cake this afternoon to take to a potluck dinner tonight....it better be good or I will be embarrassed but I don't see how it could not be delicious. It is not very wise to try out a new recipe on guests, but I had faith it would turn out okay. The main thing I was worried about was getting it out of the pan in one piece! Now to cool and glaze it. Thanks again.

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  4. FOOD or BOOKS or BOYS..........no matter what YOU write about we will be HERE!Do you know Williams & SONOMA started close to me?I have a few bags of CRANBERRIES left over in the refrigerator so I will LOOK Into this magical DESSERT!I agree with you about the PUMKIN!!!UGH.
    XO

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  5. I've never heard of cranberry cake, but that is a thing of beauty.

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  6. I am just the opposite ! I loved to cook in the past and try out all kind of recipes, but I have never baked or done a dessert in the past. Now I am too lazy to cook after so many years. I am back home, we arrived without any problems, but the check in in Egypt was hilarious ! We had to take our shoes off 5 times ! Have to write a post about it !

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  7. That looks and sounds yummy. The perfect flavor combination!

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  8. That looks and sounds yummy. The perfect flavor combination!

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Thanks for stopping by. I read and appreciate every one of your comments. I will do my best to reply whenever I can.

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