Poppy Seed Pound Cake with Plum Pluot Compote

Ingredients

• •2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
• •¼ cup poppy seeds
• •¾ teaspoon baking powder
• •½ teaspoon salt
• •½ whole vanilla bean
• •1¾ sticks unsalted butter
• •1½ cups sugar
• •3 large eggs
• •½ cup half-and-half
• •2 pounds firm-ripe plums and pluots
• •¾ cup sugar
• •1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• •1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• •½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• •1 serving whipped cream

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan.

   5 min

2. 2.

   Whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.

   5 min

3. 3.

   Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with tip of a paring knife into a bowl, then add butter and sugar and beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with half-and-half, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just incorporated.

   10 min

4. 4.

   Spoon batter into loaf pan, smoothing top.

   3 min

5. 5.

   Bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan 30 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert cake onto a rack. Cool completely, right side up.

   105 min

6. 6.

   Stir together fruit, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon zest, and lemon juice in a heavy medium saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until fruit begins to fall apart and liquid is slightly syrupy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon zest, nutmeg, and more sugar if desired. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

   35 min