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Mixed Berry Picnic Snack Cake (No Frosting, No Soggy Bottom)

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A sturdy, olive-oil berry snack cake with a cornmeal trick that keeps it moist and sliceable — no frosting needed for a picnic.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp fine cornmeal (polenta)
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries), divided
  • 2 tbsp turbinado sugar, for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch pan and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside 1 tbsp of this mixture separately.
  3. In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until fragrant. Whisk in the eggs, olive oil, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until no streaks of flour remain — do not overmix.
  5. Toss two-thirds of the berries in the reserved 1 tbsp flour mixture, then gently fold them into the batter.
  6. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter the remaining berries over the top and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  7. Bake 32–38 minutes, until the edges pull slightly from the pan and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist berry streaks.
  8. Cool completely in the pan on a rack before lifting out and slicing into squares.

Notes

Frozen berries work straight from the freezer — no thawing, just add 3-5 extra minutes of bake time. Store airtight at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5, but let it come back to room temp before serving, since the olive oil crumb tastes best unchilled. Squares also freeze well wrapped individually.

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/mixed-berry-picnic-snack-cake-no-frosting-no-soggy-bottom/