Dreaming in Dubai

*Shout out to my best friend Jamie for telling me that these flowers are actually bougainvilleas and not begonias as was originally stated!

I've quickly come to learn that growing up in New England makes one spoiled for choice when it comes to produce. All my life I was accustomed to seeing the numerous local grocery stores in my town packed to the brim with fresh produce, my favorite of which were the berries. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries among many others in the most vibrant hues of crimson red and sapphire blue lined shelf after shelf. As a child I would bring home boxes of each and devour them eagerly as soon as my mother rinsed them off for me. Every now and then I would reach for the strawberries before she had a chance to clean them to her pristine standards but her watchful eyes would quickly catch me and alas I would be left with no option but to wait.

When my mom took me to Pakistan at the age of three she was both frustrated and thrilled by the fact that I would only eat strawberries. Frustrated because a growing child couldn't possibly get the nutrients she needs from strawberries alone but thrilled because at least my picky little self was eating something. She eagerly recalls the story of how my grandmother tried the strawberries herself to see what all the fuss was about. They had just been introduced in Pakistan around the time of our visit (lucky me) and were considered quite the hot commodity. After taking her first bite she quickly scrunched her face because of the tartness and expressed her disbelief at the fact that it was these sour little things I couldn't stop eating!

Fast forward about 19 years to Dubai and strawberries, and berries in general have once again become a hot commodity. It turns out berries don't really grow that well in desert. Gone are the days of my local grocery store emptying out pints of berries practically for free. But even now I indulge my craving by picking up a carton of blueberries or strawberries on my way home from work at the Spinny's nearby.

This weekend I decided to make a berry at home for my husband and I. I wanted to make something small since large cakes end up getting wasted at our home. It's just the two of us and there's only so much cake we can eat before we start packing on the pounds. I used a recipe that I've made many times before but I cut it in half. It's perfect for two or three people. I also added strawberries instead of just blueberries and I baked in a tiny cake pan (5 inches) instead of a loaf pan. The results were fantastic. The berries in the cake taste amazing and it's sweet without being overpowering. One tip I would definitely give while making this cake is to coat the berries in a light layer of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom. That way they'll be evenly distributed throughout the whole cake making for a prettier and tastier cake!







Recipe adapted from

1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup strawberries chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
1 egg
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease baking pan and set aside.

Mix together melted butter, egg, sugar, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix together flour and baking powder.

Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the egg mixture.

Toss your berries with around a few spoonfuls of flour and fold gently into the batter.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

If you decide to try this cake at home please let me know how it turns out for you!