September is a great time to forage Old Man of the Woods mushrooms. Be sure to pick the medium to large size ones that are firm. Let the small ones grow a little longer. If you see white or yellow fungus starting to grow on it, or it turns your fingers black, leave it in the woods. By the ways, these fun little guys make amazing 3-D tubular spore prints.
This tasty spice cake will put a smile on even the most curious faces. After you forage, discard the stems and semi-dehydrate the mushrooms. I did 2 hours on 110º. Then, dice them. They will be predominantly black and slightly spongy.
Preheat Oven 350º
Grease a rectangular baking pan. (cake size)
Mix Until Smooth in One Bowl:
- ½ cup softened butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Beat 3 eggs and whip into sugar mixture until fluffy
- Add 1/2 cup buttermilk
Combine Dry Ingredients in a Separate Bowl:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1 tablespoon Ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cardamom
- 1 tablespoon ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- Add 2 cups all purpose flour; ensure all dry ingredients are mixed well.
- Smell the dry ingredients to see if you can smell the spice aroma.
- Add more spices if desired, I always do.
Mix both bowls together. Depending on the humidity in the air, and the potential moisture in your mushrooms, you may need to add more buttermilk to get the proper consistency. It should be like cake batter: not too sticky and not too wet.
Fold 2 cups of mushroom bits into the batter. It will resemble cookies and cream ice cream. Scoop into the greased baking pan and bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Suggested Toppings
- Pure Raw Honey
- Real Maple Syrup
- Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- Black Walnut Ice Cream
