Ever felt a little bad tossing out that lonely old nectarine or the stray handful of ancient (but not yet rotten) berries? Save that stuff. It’s perfect for this quick snack cake.
I like to think (only in my imagination) that I keep an organized refrigerator. The fact that the freezer is on top and I have to stoop to see inside the refrigerator should be a clue (who designed these things, anyway). I’m always finding stray containers of things and in the summer it’s almost always berries with just an assorted few remaining. In the drawers – which practically reside on the floor- the older produce often gets shoved to the back by new stuff. I’ve come across rogue singles in the outback that should have long since died or shriveled or something to let me know it was once a plant, but these days produce seems to last a little too long. Maybe I’m getting more frugal in my old age but I don’t have the heart to ditch them if they aren’t growing alien pond scum mold.
Anyway, round-up those lonely leftovers and put them to good use, like in this summer fruit snack cake or as we really call it around here – leftovers snack camp cake with some extra good cream cheese. Any fruit will do as long as it is all chopped up about the same size. You’ll be glad you did – not only is the cake a winner, but it’ll make you feel a little bit better using up every little bit of something that probably cost too much to start with. And any cake with cream cheese as an ingredient is already a bonus.
One day I am going to own a refrigerator where every single thing is visible with one glance and no one has to stoop to view anything (also undoubtedly only in my imagination).
| Summer Fruit Snack Cake | Print |
- 227 grams full fat cream cheese (one 8 oz. package), room temperature
- 150 grams granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
- 3 extra large eggs
- 180 grams milk (2/3 cup)
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 260 grams Canteen flour blend (2 cups) (see notes)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 500 grams diced summer fruit (3-4 cups)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an electric mixer) blend together cream cheese and sugar until combined. Blend in eggs one at a time until completely mixed in. Add milk, lemon zest and vanilla and beat until mixture is fully blended and begins to look fluffy and light colored.
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined. Add to cream cheese mixture and mix until batter is smooth.
- Remove bowl from stand mixer and by hand, fold in diced fruit until combined – do this gently so that any berries included in the mix don’t color the batter. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top by rapping the pan on the counter to even out the batter. Bake 20 minutes and rotate pan. Bake 17-18 minutes more or until the edges and top are golden and a toothpick comes out without crumbs.
- Cool on a rack until room temperature. Cut into squares and serve.