Tangerine Dream Cake with Strawberries

A Guest Post by Finn the Cooking Assistant (aka the dog picker)

I love my job.  

I'm thrilled to inspect incoming produce, and I'm often rewarded just for looking.  How sweet is that?

The scents of spring boost and energize my spirit. I'm off the sofa in a flash, checking for carrots, but such cruelty these past few weeks-- no carrots were forth coming again.  Must I resort to begging? I know carrots are back.    I sniffed through the entire bag, and came up with the usual--greens and berries.

I'm also crazy about our new soft pack cooler.   I scored a free pass to hang my head inside.  "Just for the photo shoot," the Lady says.  So, of course,  I take advantage.  Why not?  I inhale the scents of all the fresh vegetables.  I was deep in produce meditation on Saturday when  I heard a neighbor call out:  "You're turning that dog into a vegetarian!"

Is that so wrong? I wonder.  It's not like the Lady is twisting anybody's paws around here.  Who says I wasn't born this way? 

I have a definite preference for the vegetable.  And the fruit.

Cake isn't so bad either.

I think I picked the right house.

The Lady made this amazing vegan tangerine cake.  It looked a little like this one, but it was much better,  and no eggs or dairy was involved in making this sweet treat.  The flour came from this farm. Much of the good organic citrus is fading from the scene since it's mostly seasonal for winter and spring, but I'm crazy for mineola tangerines thanks to my old mentor Abe who lived here long before I arrived.  Abe used to wake up from a deep sleep whenever citrus was peeled.  He'd drool and whine and make a fuss, and demand one segment after another.   Old Abe would definitely approve of this cake.

This cake would be perfect any time of the year, and with strawberries, it's crazy good.  

You don't want to miss it, so go get some end of the season organic tangerines while you can.

Tangerine Dream Cake

(Makes 1 9-inch square or round cake)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar or Florida crystals

1 tablespoon organic tangerine zest

Juice of 2 to 3 tangerines (enough to make 1 cup)

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly oil or line a cake pan with parchment paper.

2. Combine dry ingredients and tangerine zest in a medium mixing bowl.  Add wet ingredients and mix well, but don't overstir.  Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a cake tester come out clean. 

This, I must say is misleading because 

this is my actual share.   I seriously need a raise, if I'm to continue this modeling gig.

A dog can dream.  Here's what we did with the strawberries.  Lucky me, I get all the over ripe berries.

A little sugar to draw the strawberry juice out.  A bit of zest to add some zip and some tangerine juice for the marinade.

Let them sit, but don't wait too long.   Because that cake is calling.  The only thing missing is the coconut sorbet.

I may not get it all but a dog can dream, can't he?