A Plant and a Recipe : Blackberries
Musing on Invasive Blackberries and After-School Berry Yogurt Cake
Hello! This week’s article is focused on the both reviled and invasive yet curiously appreciated Himalayan blackberry, musing on after-school hunger as well as a recipe to use either out-of-control or cultivated berries in a wholesome cake. If you like what I’ve done, please subscribe here:
After-School Berry Yogurt Cake Profile
Good for many uses: breakfast, included in a lunchbox, or especially as a mid-afternoon snack—perhaps after a long walk home in extreme weather or recovering from a long, pointless virtual meeting.
Make this cake and feel the love of someone patiently but excitedly awaiting your arrival.
For the impatient let’s-cut-to-the-chase crowd, here’s a link to the recipe up front:
For the rest of you, let’s talk about these berries!
So, blackberries. See exhibit 1: rowdy invasive Himalayan blackberry, which in this case set up shop next to an inlet near Port Ludlow., WA
The Washington State Invasive Species council describes the Himalayan blackberry as “Native to Asia, the Himalayan blackberry is an evergreen shrub with canes covered in thorns and berries that are edible for humans.” I find it funny that at the top of the page, there’s a “Report a Sighting” button, because it’s everywhere. It’s even on Kenji Lopez Alt’s Instagram:
My grandma (I call her “Babcia”) is obsessed with collecting blackberries as well. In Poland she was very comfortable with collecting berries from the open lands and using them to make her own preserves and syrup. She said that there’s a great row near the cemetery in the Seattle neighborhood where she now lives. It’s always fun to see her get so excited about going out to pick berries.
No roundup used in city parks, right? Crossing fingers that I’m right here. Or any other pesticides that might hurt people… right? I’m serious here. I think we all just get enticed by free sun-warmed fruit and throw caution to the wind.
Last week, my daughter began high school. We’re in San Francisco - there are no wild blackberries growing here so I go my package of giant blackberries grown in Watsonville, CA. Last week she took the bus home and it was an usually warm, hot afternoon and after the 45-min ride across town she had a 4-block uphill climb to contend with and showed up a bit grumpy.
Two days ago, when I made this cake, it was more of a traditionally cool San Francisco day where was windy, a bit foggy and brisk. I wanted to have something waiting for her after school. Turns out we waited until after dinner to have it, but she’s been snacking on it for breakfast two mornings in a row now so I feel like it’s a win.
After-School Blackberry Cake
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Greek vanilla-flavored yogurt
1 cup organic granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup almond flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
lemon zest from a small lemon
1/2 cup oil (sunflower oil or avocado oil are my favorites!)
A lot of fresh, seasonal berries. About 12 ounces of blackberries in this case.
METHOD
1. Turn oven on to 350° F
2. Line an 12-inch circular springform cake pan with parchment paper at the bottom. lightly oil sides with cooking oil spray or lightly coat your fingers with oil and rub around the inner circumference of the pan.
3. In large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and yogurt together until thoroughly blended.
4. Add the flours, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
5. Finally, add the oil and whisk and whir until all ingredients are smooth in the bowl.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan.
7. Get those berries. Start making a circle of berries roughly halfway between the edge and the middle, and keep making rings of berries until you reach the middle. Then start adding more rings until you reach the outer edge. Don't be afraid to cover up to 80-90% of the surface with the berries. If you do get afraid that someone may judge your artistic merits via your fruit placement, remember that everyone talks about perfect, but even a new car or new kitchen cabinets eventually get that first scratch and this will soon get shoved into a mouth for chewing.
8. Depending on your oven, bake somewhere between 25-40 min; do your first check at 20 min in; then in 10 minutes, then 5 min increments.
This looks like a fun cake!