Hearts in My Oven: Brown Butter Berry Cake

Taking a break from all that peanut butter recipes, I bringing you a mixed berry cake today. I can`t believe it`s almost Spring! California has been full of sunshine (hence, our terrible drought) so I`ve been thinking of berries!

If you`re an avid recipe collector/reader, I`m sure you have heard of the famous blueberry boy bait cake. It was a Pillsbury 2nd place winning recipe back in 1954 (junior division)!! Apparently, this family recipe had an effect on teenage boys! Which, could make sense. I mean, a way into a man`s heart is through his stomach, right?

I knew I had to try this cake. I mean, if it`s good enough to bait boys...totally kidding. I`ve seen it crop up on multiple occasions for years. Since the serving size is too large for my family, I never made it until I found the perfect opportunity when I was invited to a potluck!

I tweaked the recipe, but it`s still a wonderful cake. I love the berries in the cake, especially with a hint of ground cinnamon. I enjoyed the cake with some sliced strawberries and a cup of milk (because I eat every dessert with milk!). You can definitely just use only blueberries, but I wanted a mix of blueberries and raspberries in the cake batter. Then, I topped each slice with some strawberries. I would avoid the bigger berries, like strawberries and blackberries in the actual cake batter though, since they might produce a soggier cake.

So, enjoy this lovely, moist, and crumbly cake in Winter, because we just can`t wait for Spring in a few days. :)

Brown Butter Berry Cake (Boy Bait)

Adapted: America's Test Kitchen Best Summer Desserts| Yields: 1 9x13in pan (12 servings)| Level: Easy | Total Time: 80 minutes | Print

Ingredients:

Cake:

- 2 cups all purpose flour

- 1 tablespoons baking powder

- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup unsalted butter

- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed

- ½ cup granulated sugar

- 3 large eggs

- 1 cup whole milk

- ½ cup frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc)

- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (Optional)

Topping:

- ½ cup all purpose flour

- ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed

- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

- pinch salt

- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold & cubed

- ½ cup frozen mixed berries

Directions:

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rectangular 9x13 inch nonstick baking pan with parchment paper, or grease well.

2. In a small saucepan, brown your butter: Over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisking occasionally, let the butter turn into an amber color. It will foam a little. Once it subsides and brown specks appears at the bottom of the pan, it will begin to have a nutty aroma. Once butter turns a light golden brown color, transfer to a bowl to cool. (I stick it in the freezer to make it cool faster--about 5-10 minutes.)

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

4. In a bowl with electric mixer, combine brown butter, brown sugar, and sugar well.

5. Mix in the eggs, one at a time and beating after each addition, until just combined.

6. Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture, mix. Then, beat in half of the milk. Repeat with flour, milk, and flour, beating in between each addition.

7. (Optional: In a small bowl, toss frozen berries with the flour)

8. Fold berries into the mixture.

9. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Topping:

10. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

11. Using a pastry cutter, or two forks, cut in the butter.

12. Sprinkle frozen berries randomly throughout cake.

13. Sprinkle topping evenly on top of batter.