≡ Menu

The easiest cake ever

Many thanks to Elena, who gave this recipe to my mom, who practically forced me to make it. This cake is deceiving: its ingredient list and instructions are so short and sweet, you could make it blindfolded. But don’t let the ease deceive you; this cake is definitely better than the sum of its parts. Throw the ingredients in a bowl, mix (by hand!), chop the fruit, throw it all into a springform (or regular pan), bake, and voila, a perfect dessert is yours.

Make sure your fruit are ripe; this will really add to the overall flavor and moistness of the cake. Also, as this recipe is so darn basic, feel free to improvise! Here are my favorite variations:

-pears, lots and lots of pears
-plums and peaches
-blueberries and pears
-raspberries
-raspberries and peaches

You get the drift — do whatever you like. One last note: I tend to arrange sliced fruit on the bottom of the springform, so that when I turn the cooled cake onto a serving platter, the bottom (now the top) looks pretty. This is entirely optional. In fact, I didn’t do it this time because my pears were very ripe, and too delicate to mess around with. If you’re using a regular, non-springform pan, you can do as my mother does, and arrange fruit on top of the batter. They will sink in a little as the cake bakes, but you’ll still be able to see them.


The Easiest Cake Ever
serves 8-12.

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tspoon baking powder
1 tspoon vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
3 cups of fruit, any variety, but soft and juicy!

Combine all the above ingredients, reserving 1 cup of the sliced fruit.

Grease and flour a 9″ round or rectangular baking pan or springform pan.

At this point, EITHER:
1) pour in batter and add the last cup of fruit on top OR
2) arrange the remaining sliced fruit in spiral design in the springform, and pour batter overtop.

I sometimes sprinkle a bit of sugar ontop for a crunchy crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

I often serve this cake with a fruit sauce or reduction; it’s pictured here with quince sauce, and I’ll post that recipe soon.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Patricia Scarpin October 17, 2007,

    Not only it is easy but also looks delicious!

  • Anonymous October 17, 2007,

    You can also add raisins, nuts or anything you like. I’ve done it with little pieces of guava fruit paste _very common in Brazil_ and with brown sugar. They all work. Pineapples are gorgeous as well!

  • Aaron October 23, 2007,

    Love the blog!

    I have a similar version of this dessert…thanks to certain chef/baker parents of mine…

    we call it kuchen, but it’s a crisp, or this cake, essentially upside down. It’s great with fresh or frozen fruit, and pretty much any combo therein.

    enjoy:

    3 eggs
    1 cup sugar
    1 stick of butter 4 oz
    1 cup flour

    Frozen or fresh fruit with sugar…maybe lemon juice or cornstarch.

    Cream batter, dump on top of fruit…

    Cook at 350 for a while.