There’s a certain amount of mystery associated with the origin of Spoonbread; a delicious, simple baked dessert that has been a staple around our house this season. The name is derived from the fact that it’s best eaten with a spoon, and although it has been recorded that it was a favorite dessert of George Washington, it also has uncanny similarities to the Native American porridge called soppone.

The addition of butter, eggs, and milk were more than likely not added until after the Civil War, there are edible snapshots of it popping up all over the southeast for generations. We love it sans eggs, flour based with whatever summer berries you have on hand. In fact, blackberries are just now coming in throughout the tangled brambles near our home, so we’ve been adding them along with other summer berries and peaches to this base recipe. We’ve also added cardamom, giving our spoonbread a whisper of herbal, sweet pine flavor that works wonderfully with the berries. Regardless, it’s a great summer dessert, best served with whipped cream or our Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream http://www.edibleculture.net/blog/the-myth-of-homemade-ice-cream and we know it’s sure to be a new favorite for you and yours this season.

Summer Berry

Spoon Cake

Serves: 4 to 6 | Prep: 10 Minutes | Bake: 25 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing

• 1 cup fresh, hulled strawberries (plus eadditional for garnish)

• 1 cup fresh blackberries (plus additional for garnish)

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

• ½ cup whole milk, warm

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon cardamom

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

TECHNIQUE

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch baking dish with butter. Set aside.

Using a fork or large spoon, mash berries together with 1/2 cup of brown sugar. .

In a medium bowl, whisk together softened butter, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, and milk. Then mix together dry ingredients of flour, salt, cardamom, and baking powder before whisking into the wet milk mixture. Lazily mix, whisk just until batter is smooth. Displace batter into the greased baking dish, and spread evenly.

Spoon berry mixture and all juices over the top of the cake batter. Place on middle rack of oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until knife or toothpick comes out clean . Remove from oven and allow to cool for 8 to 10 minutes minutes before serving warm with additional fresh berries ice cream.