secret weapon

last night, there was a surplus of fresh raspberries in the fridge that were going to mush if i didn't do something with them quickly.  solution?  ding!  enter the torte.

thank me for giving you this recipe.  it is my secret weapon, my go-to, never-fail delicious dessert that is so easy that you won't even believe it.

the best thing about the batter is that it is not only foolproof, but it is a great base for doing whatever you want with it.  when i first learned this recipe, it was for a plum torte, using small italian plum halves.  in the winter, i use the same batter but layer cranberries and apples on top, and load up the spices.  so, last night, with no plums, cranberries, or apples, but a surfeit of raspberries, i knew exactly what to do.

raspberryplumcranberryapple torte

ingredients

1 stick butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 c. raspberries, rinsed; OR 3 c. cranberries, rinsed, plus 3 apples, peeled and sliced; OR 12 italian plums, rinsed, pitted, and halved; OR whatever else you could possibly imagine

sprinkle cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg

method

in a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  add eggs, flour, baking powder, and vanilla and spices.

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  butter and flour a springform pan*, then slowly spread the batter over the pan (it will be a thick, almost dough-like consistency).  carefully sprinkle your fruit of choice over the top of the cake.  sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the top.

bake on a rack positioned 3/4 of the way down in the oven, for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

*i didn't have a springform pan last night, and the pans that i did have were all too big to hold the small amount of batter.  solution?  double batch.  problem solved... more torte for everyone!!