Satisfying a Sweet Tooth with a Unique Raspberry Coconut Creation
A simple snacking cake that delivers rich, vibrant flavors, as we lazily transition from winter to spring.
As I write this post today, I am reminded that it is already 89°F, and honestly, I am just not ready for the summer months. Not sure if it’s because of age, or just my autoimmune-challenged body, but this year, I am DREADING the arrival of the torturous temperatures that our California summer brings. Friends, I just CANNOT imagine that in the very near future, we’ll be dealing with temperatures of 110°F or higher. If you live in California, are you ready? Maybe I am just being a whiny baby, lol…but I am absolutely dreading it.
While we’re officially into spring, it seems that quite a few people I know, are still craving winter flavors. Even with our current, warm California days, some people like continuing on with rich, soupy, cardamomy, cinnamony, slow-cooked, roasted and baked foods. In a recent Foodie group chat, a friend told me that every week, she continues to bake all sorts of cakes and cinnamon rolls, using pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree in EVERYTHING. She even made Egg Nog a few days ago, lol! It does sound good, right? Mmmm…a cold glass would definitely satisfy!
Another friend agreed, sharing that he’s not ready to let go of winter as we approach our first month into spring. Ooh, he made us drool while he described his recent roast and stew adventures. He showed us pictures of the Sancocho (a traditional stew made in latin American countries), he made last week, and I couldn’t believe how instantaneously my mouth started watering. I’m telling you… the pics he shared got me seriously fantasizing about toasting up some gluten-free sourdough bread, dunking it into the broth and taking a soggy bite. You know the kind of drippy, soggy bit that has you quickly wiping warm broth from your chin?
A few days later I created a Meatball and Vegetable Coconut Curry to satisfy the soupy food fantasy that had been in my head for a few days. It might be close to 90°F, but my friends and I are carrying on with warm weather dishes such as lasagnas, braised brisket, and casseroles for just a little longer, because there is no right or wrong. While the seasons give us revolving seasonal produce, they don’t dictate to any of us what we should be cooking. Just the way retail America pushes Easter in February, and bbq food in winter, it’s okay if our taste buds aren’t ready to let go of all the winter goodness. If you want to bake pumpkin pie in June, do it. If you want to braise a leg of lamb in July, go for it.
After all that, lol, now a little bit about this delicious snacking cake. It wakes us up by reintroducing our palate to spring through the simplicity of fresh raspberries. The addition of shredded coconut to the cake enhances both the flavor and the texture. But aren’t fresh raspberries available all year-round you might ask. Indeed, they are, but many of the year-round raspberries are hydroponically cultivated, resulting in very bland raspberries. So where did I find organic, sweet raspberries this early in April? Last summer, we picked bucketfuls of fresh blueberries and raspberries. We flash froze most of them to have plenty of peak-season berries to enjoy during the winter. Most of our hoard has already been consumed. Needless to say, I am very eager to go picking as soon as we’re able to.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Servings: eight to ten slices
