Monday, June 25, 2012

strawberry-rhubarb buckle

We decided to have another picnic this weekend with my in-laws. For dessert I made Anna Olson's "Any Fruit Buckle" using fresh rhubarb and strawberries. One of my favourite dessert recipes from Fresh Flavour Fast was the peach buckle, and until making it a couple years ago, I hadn't ever heard of of this type of cake before. Similar to a coffee cake, a buckle is a vanilla cake with baked fruit and, this one Anna Olson published on her website, has a strusel topping which adds a extra nice flavour/texture contrast.
This dessert is one of my favourites we've had recently. The crumb on this cake is so tender, I'm still gushing over the texture this cake has. It's so moist I actually had it in the oven for over 15 minutes longer than the instructed time. I've learned the hard way that baking times on buckles vary based on the amount of juice fresh fruit renders when baking.
Here are some of the reasons buckles are so great. If you're not the biggest pie fan (like myself), this is a great way of showcasing fresh baked fruit in a dessert. Buckles are simple cakes (similar to a loaf) and don't require any extra steps after baking. Like loaves, they are portable (which in this case I baked it right into a glass Pyrex with a fitted lid so it could travel with us to the picnic). Lastly, buckles appeal to my sensibility because they are cakes that aren't iced/frosted. 
The versatility of different seasonal fresh fruit that can be used makes this recipe a summer must-bake. If you're reading this, please try it!

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