King Cake with Caramel Crunch & Cream Cheese Frosting

Every Mardi Gras, I have made the same King Cake for as long as I can remember. It was a big deal for me to try a new version!

I was drawn to this recipe because I liked the idea of adding texture with the caramel crunch layer- and my family loves cream cheese frosting. It was delicious. The frosting was definitely a winner, but next time I would omit the caramel crunch- the cake didn’t need the extra sweetness. I still included it as an option in the recipe below.

The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, adapted from The Good Book of Southern Baking by Kelly Fields with Kate Heddings. I weighed the ingredients and modified the method. I used a cake pan but may opt for a cake ring or springform pan next time so that it would be easier to transfer the cake to a rack to decorate.

I decorated the cake with the traditional Mardi Gras sanding sugars. The recipe notes that the green, purple, and gold sugars represent faith, justice, and power, respectively, a nod to the “three kings.” Instead of placing a plastic baby inside, our family tradition is to place chocolate inside (a few dark chocolate chips this year). The person who receives the special slice with chocolate will have a lot of luck this year. 🙂

Yield: One 10-inch cake

For the Cake:

• 300 g (2 1/2 cups) bread flour
• 80 g (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 28 g (2 T) lard (28g) (you can use vegetable shortening or butter, but it won’t be as delicious)
• 67 g (1/3 cup; 5 T) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt (Morton’s)
• 5 T unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces, at room temperature

For the Cinnamon Filling:

• 67 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
• 52 g (1/4 cup) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• 4 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Caramel Crunch:

• 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water

For the Cream Cheese Frosting & To Decorate:

• 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 511 g (4 1/2 cups) Confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 4 to 8 T whole milk or heavy cream (I used 6 T cream plus 1 T milk)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• purple, green, and yellow sanding sugars, optional

To Make the Cake:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, all-purpose flour, and yeast.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer, whisk eggs until smooth.
3. Switch to dough hook or a large wooden spoon, and add milk, lard, and flour mixture. Mix on low speed until a dough starts to form, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula. With mixer on low speed, add sugar and salt, then increase speed to medium, and mix for 3 minutes.
5. Decrease speed to low and add butter, one tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated.
6. Increase speed to medium-high and beat dough for 5 to 7 minutes, until butter is fully incorporated and the dough is silky and shiny.
7. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
8. Transfer dough to baking sheet and press it with heel of your hand to about 3/4-inch thick and as close to a 6- by 10-inch rectangle as possible (it’s fine if it’s a little wider or longer).
9. Cover baking sheet in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (about 12 hours). Dough can also be frozen, but will need to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
10. Make the cinnamon filling, directions below; set aside.
11. Lightly coat a 10-inch-round cake ring or springform pan or cake pan with 2-inch-high sides (I used a fluted 10.5-inch pan with 2-inch sides) with cooking spray. (A cake ring or springform pan may be a better choice because it was difficult to maintain the shape when transferring out of the baking pan and onto the cooling rack.)
12. Cut the cold dough into two 3-by-10-inch strips.
13. On a pastry mat sprinkled with flour, use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll each piece evenly to approximately 6 by 12 inches, maintaining a rectangular shape.
14. Sprinkle half of cinnamon filling into a thin, almost transparent layer on each strip of dough, making sure to leave a 1-inch border on the long bottom edge.
15. Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom border of each piece of the dough with water until slightly wet; this will act as a sealant later.
16. Starting at top edge, roll up dough like a cinnamon roll. (You want the edge you left bare to end up at the outside of the roll.) Once rolled, lightly press down to evenly seal dough; the water will help to fully seal.
17. Using your hands, continue to roll log to double its length, about 22 inches. Make sure to keep width of the log consistent. Follow the same process for second strip of dough.
18. Place a few chocolate chips (or a bean, Hershey’s kiss, or plastic baby) randomly inside one of the rolls.
19. Twist together dough logs in a spiral. Once fully twisted, connect ends together to form a ring shape; pinch to seal if needed.
20. Place dough in prepared pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
21. Let dough proof at room temperature (ideally about 75°F) or in a proofing oven for about (check after 1 hour next time) 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it has risen to about 1 1/2 times its original size and slightly springs back after you press it. (If it does not spring back at all, it has over-proofed and should be discarded.)
22. Preheat oven to 350°F, preferably on convection.
23. Before baking, spritz dough with water (or lightly sprinkle water over dough with your hands) to help prevent crust from hardening.
24. Bake for 20 min on convection or 30 to 35 minutes in a standard oven, rotating the pan after 10 minutes on convection or 15 minutes in a standard oven, until golden brown.
25. Let cake cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then carefully remove king cake from pan and transfer it to wire rack placed inside a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (My cake flattened a bit from inverting it after 5 minutes- maybe better to wait 10 minutes before removing or just use a springform pan next time.)
26. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

To Make the Cinnamon Filling: 

1. Using a fork, mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, salt, and vanilla until a uniform mixture forms. Set aside.
2. Filling can be used right away or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and brought to room temperature before using.

To Make the Caramel Crunch (optional):

1. In a small non-reactive pot, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, making sure sugar fully dissolves. *Do not stir* the mixture — stirring will cause sugar to crystalize. Alternatively, swirl the mixture by moving the pot.
3. Continue cooking just until mixture becomes a medium amber color, intermittently swirling the pot, for about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and ladle caramel over cake, creating a thin, even coating over entire cake.
5. Allow crunch to set for 15 to 20 minutes before icing cake.

To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting & To Finish the Cake:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer, mix cream cheese on medium speed until very smooth.
2. Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar in 3 portions, mixing well after each addition, until a smooth paste forms.
3. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl.
4. With mixer on low speed, slowly stream in 4 T cream or milk and mix until frosting is well combined and smooth. Add more milk or cream until desired consistency is achieved. (I used 6 T cream plus 1 T milk.)
5. Mix in vanilla bean paste.
6. This frosting can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before using.
7. While cake is still cooling on the wire rack, spread the frosting over cake. (I used a 2 T scoop to evenly distribute the icing over the top of the cake and then spread it with an offset spatula.)
8. If you’re sticking true to Mardi Gras tradition, sprinkle sanding sugar over top and allow cake to sit for at least 30 minutes before transferring it to a serving plate.

Note: You can keep the King Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, but it truly is best on the day it is made. (I kept leftovers in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting.)

Peach Crumb Muffins

This is another wonderful peach recipe. The goal was to create coffee-shop/bakery muffins that were “tall, craggy, rich, and bronzed.” Success.

The recipe is from Deb Perelman’s book, Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics for Your Forever Files. She recommends storing the leftover muffins in the pan- uncovered. I did this with some skepticism but will report that (as promised) the peaches kept the muffins moist and the room air kept the topping from becoming soggy.

The original recipe notes that other stone fruit can be substituted for the peaches. Ground cardamom (1/2 tsp) can also be incorporated, if desired.

Yield: 12 muffins

• 3 medium-large (1 to 1 1/2 pounds or 455 to 680 grams, total) ripe or very ripe yellow peaches
• 8 T (1/2 cup, 4 oz, or 115 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (3 grams) plus a pinch, kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal), divided
• 2 1/4 cups (295 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 cup (230 grams) plain or vanilla yogurt
• 2 large or extra-large eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C), preferably on convection.
2. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners, or coat with nonstick spray.
3. Halve, pit, and thinly slice the peaches. Set 24 to 36 peache slices aside for decoration.
4. Chop the remaining peach slices into small pieces. You need 1 1/2 cups.
5. Mix the butter, sugar, a pinch of salt, and half of the flour (1 cup plus 2 T, or 145 grams) in a large bowl until it forms a clumpy mixture.
6. Remove 6 semi-packed tablespoons (about 115 grams) and set it aside; this will be the streusel topping.
7. Add the yogurt and eggs to the big bowl of crumbs; whisk to combine. (It’s okay if it is not smooth.)
8. Add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and remaining 1 tsp salt; whisk well.
9. Stir in the remaining flour and chopped peaches just until the flour disappears.
10. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. (They will be filled nearly to the top.)
11. Arrange 2 or 3 fanned slices of peach on top of each.
12. Divide the reserved streusel topping over the muffins. Nudge any that spills off back onto the cups of batter.
13. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted under the peach slices comes out batter-free. (I baked mine for 22 minutes on convection.)
14. Let the muffins rest in the baking tin for 5 minutes before removing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Leftover muffins keep for 2 days at room temperature. Keep them in the baking pan but uncovered.

Blueberry & Meyer Lemon Breakfast Pastry

This beautiful breakfast pastry uses store-bought puff pastry as a shortcut. I loved the crushed dried blueberries sprinkled over the top.

I served this pastry as part of our Easter brunch along with my favorite brunch dish, Asparagus, Leek and Gruyere Quiche. We also had fruit and green salads, cheeses with crackers and warm bread, hummus with vegetables, nuts, and sliced kielbasa.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Anna Theoktisto. I modified the method and proportions. The combination of blueberries and lemon was bright and delicious.

The pastry is ideally served warm, but I made it a day in advance, refrigerated it overnight, and served it at room temperature. Still great. It could also be reheated prior to serving.

Yield: Two 5×12-inch Pastries (about 8 to 10 servings)

• 1 (18.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s)
• all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 5.2 ounces cream cheese (such as Philadelphia), at room temperature
• 5.2 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) unsifted confectioners’ sugar
• freshly grated zest from one Meyer lemon
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 5 to 6 T blueberry preserves (I used Stonewall Kitchen)
• scant 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1 T water
• 2 T whole milk
• 2 T whole freeze-dried blueberries, crushed

1. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest and juice with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high, until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Measure 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture into a separate medium bowl; set aside for icing.
4. Unroll thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. (I used a pastry mat instead.) Cut pastry in half lengthwise; place 1 pastry half on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with second roll of pastry on second baking sheet.
5. Divide remaining cream cheese mixture in half. Spoon one ration of the mixture in a 1 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down the middle of each pastry half on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a 1-inch border along short pastry edges.
6. Stir together preserves and cornstarch in a small bowl. Divide the mixture into fourths.
7. Spoon each ration of the preserves mixture evenly along the long edges of both cream cheese strips (about 1 1/2 tablespoons per side), leaving a 1-inch border on each long side.
8. Beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush border of topped pastry lightly with egg mixture; reserve remaining egg mixture.
9. Place remaining pastry half on top of filled pastry, pressing edges firmly to seal.
10. Chill until firm, about 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. (I set my oven to true convection.)
11. Brush chilled pastry lightly with reserved egg mixture. Using a paring knife, cut 5 small (about 1-inch) slits on top of pastry.
12. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and evenly puffed, 40 minutes on convection or up to 45 minutes in a standard oven, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.
13. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; let pastry cool 10 minutes.
14. Place freeze-dried blueberries in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin.
15. Whisk milk into reserved 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture until smooth.
16. Drizzle icing over warm pastries, and sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried blueberries. Serve warm. (see Note)

Note: I waited for the pastries to cool to room temperature prior to drizzling with the icing. Once garnished, I wrapped them in plastic wrap and refrigerated them overnight. Pastry can be reheated or served at room temperature. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Banana Bread Crumb Cake

I was planning to make banana bread but then told my husband about this cake. He did not hesitate before casting his vote. 😉 It was incredibly moist and delicious- and easy to make. I loved the crumb layer inside the cake.

This recipe was adapted from cookiesandcups.com. I weighed the ingredients, used unsalted butter, incorporated whole wheat pastry flour and cinnamon, omitted the glaze, and modified the baking time for a convection oven. We ate it for breakfast and dessert!

Yield: one 9×13-inch cake

For the Cake:

• 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 120 g (1 cup) whole wheat pastry flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp Morton kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 ripe medium-sized bananas, mashed
• 8 T (1 stick, 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 400 g (2 cups) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk (I used 2%)

For the Crumb Filling & Crumb Topping:

• 16 T (2 sticks, 1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 432 g (2 cups) light brown sugar
• 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 120 g (1 cup) whole wheat pastry flour
• pinch coarse salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. (I set my oven to true convection.)
2. Coat a 9×13 metal baking dish with baking spray, line with parchment paper (overhang on long sides), lightly coat with baking spray; set aside.
3. Make the Cake Batter: In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl stir together the mashed bananas, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until mixed well.
5. Add in the flour mixture and milk in alternating portions and stir until combined. Set batter aside while you make your crumb mixture.
6. Make the Crumb Filling & Crumb Topping: In a large bowl combine the cold, cubed butter, light brown sugar, and flours using a pastry blender or fork until a coarse crumb forms.
7. To Assemble: Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan. Top with 1/3 of the crumb mixture. Cover the filling with the remaining batter and then top with remaining crumb mixture.
8. Bake for 40 minutes on convection or up to 50-55 minutes in a conventional oven, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Mexican Sweet Corn Cake (Pan de Elote)

In Mexico, this simple cake is called panqué de elote, pan de elote or pastel de elote. It is often served for breakfast. We ate it for dessert after our family favorite Middle School Tacos on Cinco de Mayo this year and ate the leftovers for breakfast. Perfect. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Milk Street. The original recipe accurately describes the texture as somewhere between cake and cornbread while hinting at custard. I used Greek yogurt and modified the method and the baking time for a convection oven. I served the cake with strawberries which was a lovely accompaniment.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

• 3 medium ears fresh corn, preferably yellow, husked (see Note)
• 36 grams (1/4 cup) fine yellow cornmeal
• 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 57 grams (1/4 cup) plain whole-milk yogurt (I used whole-milk Greek yogurt)
• 165 grams (1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
• Confectioners’ sugar, to serve
• fresh strawberries, to serve

1. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. (I set my oven to the true convection setting.)
2. Mist a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
3. Hold an ear of corn upright in the center of a medium bowl. Using a chef’s knife, cut the kernels from the corn. Repeat with the additional two ears. Measure 250 grams (1 1/2 cups) of the freshly cut kernels and add to a blender; if you have extra corn, reserve it for another use.
4. To the blender, add the cornmeal, condensed milk and yogurt, then puree until smooth, 15 to 20 seconds, scraping down the blender as needed. Let stand for 10 minutes. (I used a Vitamix.)
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
6. To the blender, add the whole eggs and yolks, and the oil; blend on low until smooth, 5 to 10 seconds.
7. Pour the puree into a large bowl.
8. Add the flour mixture and whisk just until evenly moistened and no lumps of flour remain. It is important that you don’t whisk vigorously! Gentle mixing, just until no pockets of flour remain, will minimize gluten development so the finished cake is tender.
9. Transfer to the prepared cake pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes in a convection oven or 40 to 45 minutes in a standard oven.
10. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
11. Run a paring knife around the pan to loosen the cake, then invert directly onto the rack and lift off the pan. Re-invert the cake onto a serving platter and cool completely, about 1 hour.
12. Serve dusted with Confectioners’ sugar with strawberry slices on the side.

Note: Don’t use frozen corn kernels—it results in a dense, gummy texture. Made with fresh corn, the cake’s crumb is much lighter and softer.

Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Rolls with Apple Cider Glaze

One more apple treat to share. 🙂 We ate these rolls as a special snack and re-warmed them for breakfast the next day as well.

The recipe for these miniature “monkey breads” was adapted from King Arthur Flour.com, but I was inspired to top them with apple cider glaze from davebakes.com.

The apple cider glaze gave them an unexpected tanginess. Tasty and fun.

Yield: 16 rolls

For the Dough:

• 1 cup (113g) white whole wheat flour
• 2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons (8g) fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons (32g) potato flour
• 3 tablespoons (50g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 4 tablespoons (57g) butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm milk (I used 2 percent milk)
• 1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm water

For the Topping:

• 1/4 cup (4 T) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 heaping cup (128g) cored, chopped apple, peeled or unpeeled (I used Pink Lady apples)
• raisins, optional (I omitted them)

For the Glaze:

• 2 cups apple cider, reduced, optional
• 2/3 cup (74g) confectioners’ sugar
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 T (14g) milk (I used 2 percent milk)
• 1 T unsalted butter, melted

To Make the Dough:

1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine all of the dough ingredients, mixing and kneading to make a smooth, soft dough. It may seem dry at first, but as you knead it’ll soften up.
2. Place the dough in a greased bowl or greased 8-cup measure, cover it, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s noticeably puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk). (I used a proofing oven.)
3. Lightly grease paper muffin cups, and use them to line 16 cups (8 cups in each) of two standard muffin tins.
4. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 16 pieces; each will be about 1 1/2 ounces (44g). Round each piece into a flattened ball.
5. Working with one piece at a time, use a bench knife (or regular knife) to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Don’t worry about being precise; pieces can vary in size.

To Make the Topping and Form the Rolls:

1. Ration the chopped apple into 16 piles, each pile should be about a generous tablespoon.
2. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon with a whisk.
3. Roll or shake four dough pieces in cinnamon sugar, and place them into a muffin cup.
4. Sprinkle with raisins, if using, and chopped apple.
5. Roll the remaining four dough pieces in cinnamon sugar; top the filling with these remaining four pieces of dough.
6. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough, raisins, and apple.
7. Sprinkle the top of each roll with an additional 1/4 tsp cinnamon sugar.
8. Cover them lightly with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let them rise for about 2 hours, until they’re noticeably puffy. (I used a proofing oven.)
9. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F, preferably on convection.
10. Uncover the risen rolls, and bake them for 14 minutes, on convection, or up to 17 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Don’t let them darken too much; they’ll be dry.
11. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack.

To Make the Glaze & to Finish:

1. Place the cider in a pot over medium heat. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Set aside. (If the cider cools, it must be rewarmed in order to add it to the glaze mixture.)
2. Combine the confectioners’ sugar, salt, milk, and butter. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of reduced cider, to taste.
3. Adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding more milk or more reduced cider.
4. Using a spoon, drizzle the rolls with glaze.

Summer Fruit Buckle

This very special breakfast treat was more clafoutis or bread pudding-like than coffee cake-like. It was eggy, moist, and loaded with fruit. Practically any combination of summer fruit could be used. I used blueberries, strawberries, and a yellow nectarine. Great.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I incorporated whole wheat pastry flour. I also reduced the baking time for a convection oven. The original recipe notes that the sugar can be adjusted by one or two tablespoons, reduced or added, depending upon the sweetness and tartness of the fruit used.

Yield: one 9-inch cake

• 1/2 cup/114 grams (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan
• 1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar, more for sprinkling
• 1/4 cup/55 grams light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• finely grated lemon zest from 1 large lemon
• 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups/156 grams all-purpose flour (I used 100g all-purpose flour + 56g whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 1/2 cups summer berries and/or chopped fruit (a mix of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or use any one kind)(peaches, nectarines, figs, or plums can also be incorporated)(I used 2 cups blueberries + 2 cups strawberries + 1 chopped yellow nectarine)
•  cinnamon, for dusting, optional
•  Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. (or coat with cooking oil spray)
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest and vanilla and mix until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg and baking powder, and whisk to combine.
6. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and mix until just combined.
7. Gently fold fruit into the batter, then spread batter in pan and sprinkle lightly with more granulated sugar.
8. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in a convection oven, or up to 50 minutes in a standard oven, or until top is golden and cake is cooked through.
9. Allow cake to cool, then sprinkle with cinnamon, if using, and confectioners’ sugar.