I have to admit, I bake cakes a lot. But who can resist one like this? This tender poppy seed buttermilk cake is layered with sweet berries and a smooth, whipped creme fraiche cream. Any fruit could be substituted for the berries, and even jam would be delicious. This cake is kind of like a sophisticated homage to strawberry shortcake. Everyone always loves cake, cream, and fruit. In addition to baking with creme fraiche, you can easily use it to accent any dessert, as shown. To learn how to make your own creme fraiche, click here. This cake makes a four layer 9″ cake, but I made individual portions here with a ring mold. A good tip- chilling your cake before cutting or assembling it makes it sturdier and easier [...]

A few days ago, I started my batches of creme fraiche and mascarpone cheese, which you can read about and learn how to make on your own, here. So this week I will be utilizing them in recipes that celebrate all of their creamy, delicious glory. Yesterday I decided to make some sweet accompaniments for my homemade mascarpone cheese. The intention for this dessert was to let the mascarpone stand out, unaltered. Almond Polenta Cake with Caramelized Nectarines and Fresh Mascarpone. Polenta, a coarsely ground cornmeal, pairs well with toasted almonds in this moist, dense loaf cake. The finished product is buttery and nutty, with a slightly crunchy texture from the polenta. Fantastic left as is, but equally lovely dredged in powdered sugar and bruleed, like I did for this [...]