It has been on purpose that, up to now, I have neglected to post a dessert recipe. It’s a kind of risk avoidance. Since New Year’s, I have been trying to focus on Not eating heavy-but-empty calories. Sweet things.
All in all, I have done pretty well.
Up to now.

This first month of 2009 has been a rocket; hardly one week ago, Bill and I—along with 2 million others—had braved crowd, cold, and lengthy wait to stand, shoulder to shoulder, (body to body!) and witness this momentous, glorious transfer of power in front of our nation’s capitol. Despite all physical discomfort, there was so much joy. At times electric, we could sense it in the air, feel it in waves moving through the mall. Palpable joy.

Today, freezing rain has left its lacy handiwork on barren trees in my yard. I’m alone in my kitchen, miles and days and bodies removed from that extraordinary moment. I’m in a pensive mood: but not in a melancholy way. I’m ready to savor the sweet. I’ve got assorted berries in the freezer, the other basics in my pantry and fridge. I’m ready to bake. And, I’m thinking about that joy.

No, it doesn’t equate to this berry bundt. But there’s an arc to joy that I like to think lands in contentment. My friend Maggie is on to that: when she took her first bite, she closed her eyes, leaned back her head, and said, “Yep. A cup of coffee and a slice of this cake fits my idea of how to take in a winter afternoon.”

Mixed Berry Bundt Cake
½ cup unsalted Butter
1 ½ cups Sugar
1 ½ cups Sour Cream
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 ½ cups all purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda

3 cups mixed Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries
(frozen ones are fine, and there’s no need to thaw them out.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a bundt pan with baking spray.
In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and zest.
Add the flour and soda, mixing until well incorporated, but don’t overbeat.
Cover the bottom of the bundt pan with half the berry mixture. Spoon in half the batter.
Sprinkle the remaining berries over the layer of batter and then carefully spoon the rest of the batter on top.
Bake in the center of the oven for 60 minutes. Allow to cool on rack before unmolding.
Dust with a little confectioners sugar and garnish with whole berries.
Serves 12-15, with contentment.

1. Maggie Stanford Says:
   January 28th, 2009 at 8:39 am

   Nance,

   Guess I’ll have to run out and get some sour cream!! It is indeed a wintery day; perfect for coffee and this yummy cake in the afternoon. Thanks for including me in your musings!

   Love,
   Maggie

2. Cathy Reef Says:
   January 28th, 2009 at 12:05 pm

   I will definitely make this cake! Do you have any thoughts/suggestions about substituting yogurt for sour cream in recipes such as this? I’ve been experimenting in this way with a sour-cream coffee cake that we like and have found that it works pretty well if I drain some water from the yougurt and keep the batter on the thick side. I know I am sacrificing some texture and flavor, but the savings in calories is nice.

   Also,I was happy to read that you had such a joyous time at the inauguration. I was concerned after learning that a friend who had a ticket to a particular place on the mall arrived at 7:30, stood in line until 11:00, and then was locked out. She and her group went to a restaurant where they watched the goings-on on TV while having brunch.

   Love to all in Nashville.

3. Michelle DC Says:
   January 28th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

   Mmmm…this looks so beautiful and tasty but not that hard to make. I also like your cake dish :) I might just try this this weekend!

4. goodfoodmatters Says:
   January 28th, 2009 at 2:10 pm

   Cathy and some other readers have (quite rightly!) asked about substituting yogurt for sour cream—and it is worthwhile to do. You can get a good, plain yogurt, and pour off excess water (you can even lump it in a piece of cheesecloth and let it drain that way.)
   I have found that Greek yogurt (and there are some lowfat/nonfat ones) comes closest to sour cream’s thickness/texture and has a nice tang.

5. Lou Says:
   February 5th, 2009 at 7:56 pm

   If you do not have cheesecloth around,simply put the yogurt in a coffee filter in a strainer and leave it over night.

6. Michelle DC Says:
   March 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm

   I made this cake for my beau’s birthday party and it was a big hit. Extra bonus was that it finally gave me an excuse to use the bundt pan I stole from my mother years and years ago. Mental note, though, getting the cake to come out of the pan is a little tricky for first timers!

7. goodfoodmatters Says:
   March 2nd, 2009 at 9:41 am

   Good comment about the potential stickiness of the cake, Michelle. On occasion, I’ve had a few berries get a little cooked onto the bottom of the bundt pan. I just pry them out and stick them back into the hole they left on the cake!

8. Madeleine Says:
   July 6th, 2009 at 10:15 am

   I made baby bundt cakes of mixed fruit (cherry, blueberry, peach) yesterday. They were delicious, though extremely difficult to remove from the baby bundt cake pan. Despite the difficulty, I was very happy with the result, as were Tony and his parents. Thanks for another great recipe!