Berry Creme Fraiche Cake And a GIVEAWAY

MMMMMM. Just look at those plump berries! Don't they look wonderful? Our daughter LOVES fresh raspberries. All berries really, but especially raspberries. When she saw these sitting on the counter ready for the cake it was CONSTANT badgering to, "Please let me have one berry, Mom!"



I think this cake is wonderful, and it comes from one of my favorite dessert cookbooks, A Passion For Desserts, by Emily Luchetti (Keep reading for details on the giveaway!). Creme Fraiche is a delicious twist to just boring old whipped cream and I love it. It's so tasty with the poppy seed cake and the sweet berries. We had this for our Easter dessert and I could have just kept picking away at it for the rest of the night. Plus, it really is a beautiful cake. I love it when a dessert is pretty too.



Berry Creme Fraiche Cake

Recipe by Emily Luchetti, A passion for desserts



Poppy Seed Cake

2 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Ts Baking Soda

1/2 Ts Salt

1 Ts Baking Powder

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened

2 Cups Sugar

4 Large Eggs

1 Cup Buttermilk (don't have any?? Click HERE for a tip)

2 Ts Vanilla Extract

1/4 Cup Poppy Seeds





Creme Fraiche Berry Filling (I always triple the berries)

1 Pint Blueberries (I always use blackberries)

1/4 Cup plus 2 Tb Sugar

2 Cups (16 oz) Creme Fraiche, store-bought or homemade (see note below)

2/3 Cup Heavy Cream

1 Pint Raspberries



Preheat oven to 350. grease the bottom of 2 9 inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.



In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.



Beat the butter with the sugar until light, 1 min on medium-high speed with a stand mixer or 3 min handheld.

On medium speed add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds and periodically scraping the bowl.



Stir together the buttermilk, and vanilla. On low speed add half the buttermilk. Mix until incorporated and scrape down the bowl. Add half the dry ingredients and mix again. Repeat with last half of buttermilk and dry ingredients. Fold in the poppyseeds.



Divide the batter between two pans. Bake on the middle rack until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 15-20 min (Mine always take a little longer, but make sure to watch!)



Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 min and remove. Once the cakes are completely cool use a serrated knife to cut each in half horizontally, making 4 layers.



Filling

Cook the blueberries in a saucepan over medium-low heat with 1/4 cup sugar. Stir often until the berries are beginning to pop and the juices are flowing. Let cool to room temp.



Whip together the creme fraiche, 2 Tb sugar, and heavy cream until stiff enough to hold its form.



Assemble Cake

Place a cake layer on a serving platter. Spread one quarter of the creme fraiche filling on the cake and top with 1/4 the berries. Repeat layers.



*Cake and blueberries can be made two days in advance. Creme fraiche should be whipped just prior to assembling.



*Can't find Creme Fraiche or want to make your own?

2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tb Buttermilk



In a plastic container, stir together cream and buttermilk. Cover with an airtight lid and store at room temperature for 24 hours. Stir and cover. Again let sit for 24 hours. If the cream fraiche is thick, refrigerate. If it is still thin, let sit another 24 hours.



Or click Here for another method







Ok, enough with the food. Let's get on to the Free Stuff!!! This book seriously is wonderful. I love that you aren't going to find a single chocolate chip cookie recipe in here. I know that sounds crazy, but seriously! I like having a cookbook that has wonderful, delicious, AND beautiful desserts. They are all separated by season which is nice because sometimes in the winter I have a hard time thinking up something fabulous. I love that the desserts will not only taste yummy, but you probably haven't had it before and your guests will be so impressed with it.





Remember the white chocolate and red berry trifle from last year? Yep, it's from this book! You will find other great recipes like, Baked Pears with Almond Streusel, Caramel Chocolate Chunk Tart, Frozen Lemon Parfait with Lemon Ginger and Cassis Sauces, Macaroon Pineapple Napoleans, and so much more!



To enter the giveaway just leave a comment by April 13th and become a follower. Winner announced the 14th. Make sure to leave a way to contact you. Winners must reply within two days or else a new winner will be selected. 



Extra entries if you blog about this giveaway or post it on your facebook.