Nectarine and Blueberry Poppyseed Cake
There are a lot of good things about being a parent. But there are also some pretty lame parts about being a parent. You know what one of the worst parts of being a parent is? When you have to be mean mommy. You know… you have to insist that naps are indeed necessary, even when the park is still way more fun. You have to take away the favorite truck after it is thrown across the room. You have to explain over and over again that food goes in our mouths, not on the floor. Basically, you have to be the meanest mom ever.
Being the meanest mom ever is hard. Sometimes I just want to take a break and be “best mom ever”, you know? Even if it only lasts for a minute or two, before I have to go back to the meanness for which I am infamous throughout my household. So, yesterday, after a rough morning full of cruelty and injustices on my part, I decided to put away my witch’s broom and make my little munchkin something nice, in hopes it would turn our day around. 
While my guy was napping, his little sister and I made him a cake. Not just any cake, either, but one with blueberries and nectarines, his two favorite things at the moment. A snack cake, one he can eat holding his piece in one chubby little fist. Mixing up the batter, slicing the fruit, sprinkling sugar over the top, helped me calm down a bit, and by the time my little guy woke up, the aroma of buttermilk cake was wafting around the house and I was once again feeling pretty good about all this mommy stuff.
The cake put a smile on the boo’s face, and what’s more, it was really, really good. It’s unbelievably moist, fragrant with buttermilk and poppy seeds, and jammy chunks of nectarine and berries. And it has a crackly, sugary crust on top, and crispy corners. Of course, it only took three minutes before it was shared with the dog, causing me to pull the mean mommy card again and call an end to the cake party. It’s ok. More cake for me. 
Ingredients
- Greens and stems from one large bunch of beets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Wash and dry the greens. Chop the stems into 1/4" pieces, and roughy chop the greens.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the beet stems garlic and sauté until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the greens and continue cooking until the greens are just wilted, then stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper, taste, and adjust seasoning accordingly. Transfer to a dish and serve.