Welcome to the latest #Cookblogshare update. I’m very happy to be hosting this week’s linky.
It is no surprise that I’m a huge baking fan, so when I saw the amount of Fruity Bakes that had been entered into this week’s linkup, it was the perfect theme for a roundup. This roundup has a variety of different fruits but also showcases the various way that fruit can be used in baking. Sometimes just adding as a decoration is enough, whereas other times actually including the fruit in the bake adds a fabulous dimension.
Baking with fruit is a super easy and versatile way of adapting a recipe. You can add just a small amount to enhance the flavour or go all out with a tarty fruit for a real punch. The cheapest way to add fruit to a bake is to use a seasonal fruit – We very rarely eat plums or rhubarb in their natural forms in this house but often use them in our bakes. Adding fruit to cakes and muffins is also a great way to use up fruit and veg that is just that little past its best – Fantastic way to cut down on waste.
It seems like I’m not the only one who likes adding fruit to my baking – This week’s #CookBlogShare had a real selection of recipes for us to try.
Tips for using fruit in baking
The most common complaint when people use fruit in their cakes is that it can sink to the bottom. The easiest way to overcome this is to roll the fruit in a thin layer of flour just before adding to the mix. Unfortunately, this isn’t 100% foolproof but works most of the time.
If you are adapting a recipe to add fresh fruit, remember that you are adding more moisture to the mix. If you can, reduce any other liquid in the recipe but if this isn’t possible you may need to bake for slightly longer (You may also need to reduce the cooking temperature to stop the outside from burning).
What fruit is best to use in cake and bakes?
All types of fruit! Fresh fruit is wonderful (but see the cooking tips above) but also try dried fruit. The selection of dried fruit available is really varied and a super cheap way of mixing up your recipe. Tinned fruit is really handy to have in for spur of the moment bakes – The best before date is much longer than fresh or frozen fruit.
Frozen fruit is also really handy to have in storage. I always find letting the fruit defrost before using works best for me as I can see how much extra moisture the fruit has in it.
The fruity bakes
The Baking Explorer served up this glorious Apple Crumble Cake. Perfect for this time of year and a wonderful treat at the end of a meal.
The tartness of the blackberries matched with the sweetness of the meringue makes my mouth water in Tin & Thyme’s Hazelnut Meringue with Blackberries. She even suggests that this recipe also works with raspberries.
Curly’s Cooking is turning a good old British classic into cute little irresistible pies with these Mini Rhubarb and Custard Pies. The only decision you have to make is what to serve them with? I’m going for ice cream!
Perfect for the dreaded Back-to-school packed lunch boxes, Glutarama has some Blueberry Crumble Muffins. This is a great recipe that can use up either fresh or frozen blueberries.
One of the best flavour combinations used to make these Lemon and Raspberry Blondies from Something Sweet Something Savoury.
If you cannot get hold of fresh rhubarb for these Rhubarb & Custard tarts from Glutarama, then tinned can be used too. They are absolutely stunning and contain extra fruit as decoration too.
Some of my favourite fruity cakes and bakes
Easy No-Fail Orange Drizzle Cake
Peach and Amaretto Summer Crumble
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How to take part in #CookBlogShare
I’m handing over next week to another blogger for the weekly roundup. I love seeing everyone’s posts so will be commenting and sharing every entry.
To enter a recipe or post of your own, follow the instructions on the linky. Any problems, entering, please contact me and I’ll help you through it.
REQUIRED: All food and recipes posts are allowed to be entered (Up to 4 posts each allowed per week), as long as they have never been entered before. All we ask is that you comment on at least 2 other entries plus the host post (this one!).
Also REQUIRED: Please add a paragraph in the post you are linking can be an old post) such as, “I have linked this recipe to #CookBlogShare run by Sisley & Chloe which was hosted by Helen at https://casacostello.com”
If you are not looking to link up but would still like to be part of the CookBlogShare community, you are very welcome to save posts in Pinterest or share them on any of your social media channels.
This is a weekly linkup hosted mainly by Sisley from Sew White and Chloe from Feast Glorious Feast. These ladies put so much work into #CookBlogShare so please show them some love and head over to their fantastic blogs.
Please note that by entering you are giving the #CookBlogShare hosts permission to use your pictures in a roundup and on social media if your recipe is selection as one of the favourite or featured posts.
I love fruity bakes at this time of year! Unfortunately my family would still prefer something with chocolate in so I don’t make them as often as I’d like. I especially like the look of Rebecca’s rhubarb custard tarts!
Ooh it’s like Bake Of The Week all over again. I do miss all our old links. Gorgeous round-up. I do love a fruity bake. And thank you for including my meringue.
Delicious spread. For this reason, I love autumn so much. I really like the look of those muffins. It is blueberry season in Germany at the moment and I might just have to bake some
Love a fruity bake! Thanks for including my Rhubarb Crumble Pies 🙂
They all look so delicious!
Thank you very much!
Fab selection! I’m a bit of a fruit dodger in general but cooked and in bakes is my jam!
Love that you are a self confessed fruit dodger!
Lovely roundup! I do love fruity bakes 😀
Great round up and such a good way to use seasonal produce. Great to see you back blogging too.
What a great round up and I am totally up for these rhubarb and custard tarts. Cannot wait to try them.
I do love a good fruit cake and the cold weather is the perfect time to indulge in something fruity and thick to get us through! Proper comfort food! All the cakes look amazing, I would love to bake each and every one of them, but they would never look or taste the same! The Blueberry Crumble muffins look awesome, a proper mid morning treat!