What Summer Tastes Like

Hello Fellow Bakers,

Sorry for the delay in my writing. I know I promised baking results on Monday, but I was feeling sick and stayed home from work. However, I think the end results are worth the wait!

I had a very successful weekend of baking. I made a declaration last week that I would bake the blueberry-raspberry pound cake recipe found in A Homemade Life. I also asked for volunteers to join me in my baking endeavors. Luckily, Jenny, made a vow to bake as well. Thank you Jenny for participating in my idea. I really enjoy when the books we read bring club members closer.

What it is even more fun is Jenny and I had two different baking experiences. No cake is the same you know! I, being the control freak that I am, followed the recipe to a T, while Jenny exercised her creative side and improvised.

This recipe was fun for me because I learned so many new things. For example, I had no idea what Kirsch was, much less where to buy it. However, luckily Doug is always an e-mail away.
For those of you who also don't know what Kirsch is it is a: "unaged brandy distilled from a fermented produced esp. in Germany, Switzerland, and Alsace, France." (dictionary.com) However, the kirsch I bought was not produced in Europe, but Oregon. I also learned that in Washington state you can only find Kirsch in liquor stores. I recently turned 21 so my first trip to a liquor store was to get ingredients for cooking :)
I also have never heard of cake flour (pathetic...I know) . I had to buy my first bundt pan as well. I really enjoyed shopping and learning about these ingredients. I have to agree with Molly Wizenburg on this one, this cake really does taste like summer. The blue from the blueberries and the red from the raspberries created a beautiful celebration of summer's fruits. The blue and the red color combination really reminded me of the Fourth of July.

After spilling kirsch all over the counter, splattering batter all over my shirt( an apron is next on my to buy list), and scaring my dog with my cursing I produced my first beautiful, delicious, and perfect pound cake.

Jenny's improvisation skills also produced a delicious cake. She related to me that the store was out of red raspberries so she bought golden raspberries instead. "Same taste but not so pretty..." Jenny said. Her liquor cabinet didn't contain kirsch so she used 2 tsp of Amaretto as a substitute. Good thinking on your feet Jenny!

Below are the pictures from my and Jenny's baking experience. My cake is on the left and Jenny's is on the right. Hopefully, these pictures will inspire you to try your hand at baking this cake. PS it is on page 20 of A Homemade Life