Red Latham Raspberries
By Cat, September 3, 2016 (Photo from Gurneys (3))
This Labor Day weekend, I want to test this recipe. I’ve always loved pudding cakes, but usually it’s apple. I had a bumper crop of raspberries this year, so was excited to see this.
However, the original recipe has a few issues for me:
- Uses raspberry jam – this is OK if its homemade with less sugar, but commercial jams are made with HFCS or sugar from GMO sugar beets.
- Uses ¾ cup white sugar- this is a problem if you have blood sugar/insulin resistance issues, especially on top of the sugar in the jam. I always prefer to sweeten with stevia, but will use a bit of minimally refined, dried sugar cane juice (like Rapadura) if sugar is important for the texture of the baked goodie.
- Uses cornstarch, but most cornstarch is GMO; instead I use Organic or Bob’s Red Mill brand; or I use tapioca starch (equivalency is 2 tsp tapioca starch for 1 tsp cornstarch).
- Uses all-purpose flour, which may be brominated (bromine is toxic); I would substitute unbleached white flour or a mix of that and whole wheat flour
I will do at least one test of the recipe, to test modifications. Not yet tested.
See also: 1. Cakes and Tortes Menu; 2. Puddings Menu
Raspberry Pudding Cake
I’ve adapted this recipe (subject to testing) from a recipe in the Aug 10, 2016 issue of our local paper, the Daily Inter Lake (originally from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (1). Makes 6 servings.
I don’t make jam, so will look into a freezer jam recipe. Sugar is important for the texture of the jam, but freezer jams generally use less of it. The Twist Family recipe (2) which uses no added pectin (because raspberries provide their own) appeals to me, even though the amount of sugar seems daunting. However, for my first test, I will use homemade low-sugar berry freezer jam from my friends at the Woods Bay Grill.
For the added sugar in the recipe, I would start with the following, then adjust for the next test:
- Instead of ¼ cup sugar in the raspberry mix, I will use 2 Tbsp (⅛ cup) sugar and a pinch of stevia extract powder.
- Instead of ½ cup sugar in the eggy mix, I will use ¼ cup sugar and ⅛ tsp stevia extract powder (with ¼ cup sugar-equivalence).
Ingredients and Equipment
- Raspberry mix:
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- ¼ cup Rapadura or white cane sugar (or 2 Tbsp sugar and pinch of stevia extract powder)
- ¼ cup filtered water
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp cornstarch or 2 tsp tapioca starch
- ½ cup raspberry jam (or low-sugar freezer jam)
- Dry ingredients (flour mix)
- 1 cup unbleached white flour (or mix of white flour and whole wheat pastry flour)
- 1 ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt
- ½ cup Rapadura or white cane sugar (or ¼ cup sugar and ⅛ tsp stevia extract powder)
- Eggy mix:
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted local butte, plus extra for greasing baking pan
- 1 large local farm-fresh egg at room temperature
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract
- Equipment:
- 9″ square baking pan
- small saucepan
- small bowl
- sifter
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon
Method:
- Melt 1 stick of butter and set aside. Butter baking pan.
- Sort through berries, removing stems and other contaminants.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Raspberry sauce: If using stevia, dissolve it in the lemon juice in saucepan. Add water, starch and sugar, mixing. Bring to a simmer over low heat.
- Add raspberries and jam, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Dry ingredients: combine flour, baking powder and salt in sifter, and sift into small bowl. Add sugar and mix to combine.
- Eggy mix and batter: In large mixing bowl, whisk together egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
- Spread batter into buttered baking pan. Top with raspberry sauce.
- Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, until it passes toothpick test (insert toothpick in center of cake; when it comes out clean, the cake is done).
- Cool in pan on a cooling rack before serving.
- Serve as is, or top with whipped cream.
References:
- Arthi Subramaniam recipe in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and reprinted in our local paper the Daily Inter Lake on August 10, 2016; see (post-gazette.com/life/food/2016/08/03/One-good-recipe-Think-pudding-Think-cake-Think-Raspberry-Pudding-Cake/stories/201608030007)
- My Heartstring (Twist Family blog) recipe for Low-sugar, no-pectin raspberry freezer jam (thetwistfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-pectin-added-lower-sugar-raspberry.html
- Photo: gurneys.com/red-latham-raspberry/p/80899/
