Oat Cake with Warm Mixed Berry Compote

The berries are excellent and the prices are low in the stores right now so my fridge is full of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. I can't get enough of them!

This is one of my favorite ways to use some of those delicious berries. Give it a try!

Oat Cake -

1 cup rolled oats, not quick oats

1 1/4 cups boiling water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-inch-square cake pan. In a heatproof bowl, soak the oats in the boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain well.

2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the brown and granulated sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Add the soaked oats and beat at medium speed just until combined. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients.

3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack, then invert it and let cool completely.

Cut the cake into squares and serve with the Warm Mixed-Berry Compote.

Mixed Berry Compote

1. 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
2. 3 tablespoons mild honey
3. 1 large vanilla bean, split
4. 1 1/2 cups blueberries
5. 1 1/2 cups blackberries
6. 1 1/2 cups raspberries (or strawberries)
7. 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 1/2 tablespoons water

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice with the honey. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the bean. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the honey, about 2 minutes. Add the blueberries and blackberries and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the raspberries. Stir the cornstarch slurry and add it to the saucepan. Simmer the compote until thickened and glossy, about 2 minutes. Discard the vanilla bean. Serve warm.

MAKE AHEAD

The compote can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently before serving.

Try the compote over ice cream or pancakes. It's pretty versatile!