When Mr. C. arrived home recently after a day long jaunt up on Mt. Baker, he arrived not only with a smile on his face, but also with a small container of blue huckleberries. Now if you have never been hiking and picked wild huckleberries as you plodded along, then you have missed out on one of life’s most pleasant experiences. Because there is just nothin’ finer than hiking along nibbling on nature’s bounty. (Except of course if nature’s bounty comes to you!) (And nothing better to turn your fingers blue either, I might add!) So, with my gift of fresh huckleberries in hand, I set about thinking of ways to use the berries to full advantage.       

Unfortunately, there weren’t enough berries to build a pie. But being the cake lover that I am, I immediately thought about using the berries in a filling. But not a large cake, because it’s just the two of us. (Even though we did end up sharing some of the cake with our neighbors Mark and Vicki.)

So, the result of my plotting and planning is the recipe you find below. And thankfully, the lovely huckleberries with their “blueberries on steroids/sweet and tart at the same time” flavor came through very well in the filling. And the cake part itself was delicious and very simple to make. All in all, a very delectable dessert.

So, I hope you give this recipe a try. You and your family are sure to like it. And if you have never eaten a huckleberry, get yourself up into the mountains. Huckleberries grow best as an under crop in subalpine forests. They are generally found on moist, moderately deep, well-drained soils. But watch out for bears. They love huckleberries too.    

As always, have fun dreaming up new and delicious ways to provide great food for not only yourself, but for your entire family. Even if you live alone, you need to treat yourself to special dishes or “fancy food” occasionally too. One easy way to make sure this happens, is to invite a friend or friends over for dinner. Then do it up with style. Fix your favorite dishes, set a beautiful table, offer dessert, and don’t forget a few nibbles set out when your guest or guests first arrive. Sets the tone for the whole evening. And then, you will probably have wonderful leftovers. Yippee-skippy! And you will have had the pleasure of treating your friends to a wonderful evening. And nothing feels better than that!

Peace and love to all.

Huckleberry Filling: (plus flavoring for frosting)

 1 c. huckleberries, whole

3 T. granulated sugar

3 T. water, divided

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice (cuts the sweetness & brings out the berry flavor)

2 tsp. cornstarch

Combine the berries, sugar, 2 tablespoons of the water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Simmer until the berries start to burst. Mash the berries a bit, then add the remaining tablespoon of water mixed with the cornstarch. Simmer until thick and glossy. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using as filling for cake and flavoring for frosting.

Cake:

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

1 c. granulated sugar

2 med. eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. fine sea salt 

½ c. sour cream

Preheat the oven to 325-degrees. Grease, flour, and line 2 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside. 

Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with sour cream, beating batter briefly after each addition. Don’t over-mix. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared pans.

Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Check after 23 minutes to be sure.) Don’t over-bake.

Remove from oven, turn one of the layers onto a cake plate. The other onto a wire rack. Slowly remove the parchment paper and allow to cool completely before assembling the cake.

Huckleberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz. (½ lg. pkg.) cream cheese, softened

¼ c. (½ stick unsalted butter, softened

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

pinch kosher salt

1 T. of the huckleberry filling

2 c. powdered sugar, or more to achieve desired thickness 

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth and no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add the vanilla, salt, and tablespoon of the huckleberry filling.

Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the powdered sugar. Once the sugar begins to incorporate, increase the mixer to high speed and beat until soft and creamy. Add additional powdered sugar as needed. Frost the cake as soon as it’s completely cooled.

To Assemble the Cake:

If you haven’t already prepared the frosting using a tablespoon of the filling, reserve 1 tablespoon of the filling to flavor the frosting at this time. Spread all the rest over the layer that is on the cake plate. Then carefully place the top cake layer over the filling. Spread the frosting over the entire cake.