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17 fresh fruit desserts

Get the vanilla ice cream ready! Summer into fall is the season for fresh fruit crisps, cobblers, and pies.

5. Blackberry sage skillet cake

The Runaway Spoon
This blackberry sage skillet cake is lovely on its own for dessert, but a dollop of whipped cream or a big scoop of rich vanilla bean ice cream would also be delicious.

By Perre Coleman Magness, The Runaway Spoon

10 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 nice bunch of fresh sage, 5 to 6 leaves and 2 tablespoons finely chopped
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups blackberries
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch oven safe skillet over medium heat. Drop in 5 to 6 sage leaves to infuse the butter. When the butter is melted and fragrant from the sage, remove the sage leaves, squeezing them against the side of the skillet to remove as much butter as possible. Stir in the dark brown sugar and cook briefly, just until smooth and melted. Do not let it burn. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon chopped sage. Spread the sugar mixture evenly over the skillet, then sprinkle the blackberries in an even layer over the sugar.

3. Beat the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter with the 3/4 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 tablespoon of chopped sage, the lemon zest and vanilla until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, blending thoroughly before adding the next egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt in two additions, alternating with the buttermilk, scraping the sides of the bowl.

4. Scrape the batter over the top of the berries and smooth the top. Bake the cake for 30 minutes, rotating the skillet half way through the cooking time, until the top is a lovely golden brown a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Read the full post on Stir It Up!

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Mark Sappenfield
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