Buttermilk Cake with Sour Milk Jam and Gin-Poached cherries
A sophisticated dessert featuring a tender buttermilk cake served with a rich sour milk jam and boozy gin-poached cherries. The cake is complemented by delicate fennel fronds for an elegant presentation.
Ingredients
- •1¼ cups unsalted butter
- •2 cups all-purpose flour
- •1 teaspoon baking soda
- •1 teaspoon kosher salt
- •1 cup sugar
- •2 whole large eggs
- •1 cup buttermilk
- •1 cup whole milk
- •½ cup sugar
- •1 cup crème fraîche
- •1 cup dried tart cherries
- •1 cup gin
- •½ cup sugar
- •2 teaspoons juniper berries
- •1 to taste fennel fronds
- •1 piece 9-inch cake pan
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour pan. Whisk baking soda, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl; set aside.
5 min
- 2.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour pan. Whisk baking soda, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl; set aside.
5 min
- 3.
Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and 1 1/4 cups butter in another medium bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and scraping down sides of bowl.
6 min
- 4.
Reduce mixer speed to low and, with motor running, add dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
5 min
- 5.
Bake until cake is golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool before turning out.
45 min
- 6.
DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
- 7.
Bring milk and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar; reduce heat and simmer gently, whisking occasionally, until mixture measures a scant 1/4 cup, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; let cool (it will thicken as it sits). Whisk in crème fraîche, cover, and chill.
25 min
- 8.
DO AHEAD: Jam can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
- 9.
Bring cherries, gin, sugar, juniper berries, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan; reduce heat and simmer until liquid is syrupy, 6-8 minutes. Let cool.
8 min
- 10.
Spoon a few dollops of jam onto plates. Tear cake into pieces and arrange around jam. Top with cherries and fennel fronds.
5 min
- 11.
DO AHEAD: Cherries can be poached 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
