This is one of those sleeper recipes that's more complex-tasting than it sounds. Each element is supereasy to prepare and can be made days in advance, but the finished dessert is a stunner.
Ingredients
Makes 16 servings
脱脂乳钙ke:
Sour milk jam:
Gin-poached cherries and assembly:
Special Equipment
For buttermilk cake:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour pan. Whisk baking soda, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl; set aside.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour pan. Whisk baking soda, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl; set aside.
Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 6
DO AHEAD:Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
For sour milk jam:
Step 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.
Step 8
DO AHEAD:Jam can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
For gin-poached cherries and assembly:
Step 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.
Step 10
Spoon a few dollops of jam onto plates. Tear cake into pieces and arrange around jam. Top with cherries and fennel fronds.
Step 11
DO AHEAD:Cherries can be poached 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
How would you rate Buttermilk Cake with Sour Milk Jam and Gin-Poached cherries?
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Reviews (3)
Back to TopDitto the overfilled pan--will use 10"square next time and line bottom with parchment. Ditto the Eagle Brand. I gave up reducing and went ahead with more than 1/4 cup; it will make a lovely pool under the cake next time. I also had a long, long reduction of the cherry mixture. Next time I'll use 1/2 cup water. All of these are easily correctable, so I'll be making it fairly frequently.
newellj1
Awendaw, SC (Charleston)
2/12/2014
Having read the review below I used their tip for the sour milk. Tasted great but didn't have the stiff consistency that it shows in the pix. No matter; this dessert was fabulous. The buttermilk cake is absolutely sublime. I can think of a million things to do with that. Had trouble getting unsweetened tart cherries so cut down on the sugar which probably meant that it was a little more watery. No matter. Sure couldn't serve it on a plate but it was great in a dessert bowl type of thing. Oh, I overflowed a 9" pan but it did not have the high sides that newer pans have. Will have to invest in a new one for the next time. I will definitely make all or parts of this again. I loved it as did my chef friend!!!
neatomosquito
Atlanta, GA
9/1/2013
I made this recipe EXACTLY as written and what a surprise awaited. The sour milk jam is nothing more than a splendid condensed milk and took nearly 45 minutes to bring it to a silky consistency: mixed in with the creme fraiche it was lovely. Truly it would be easier to purchase a can of Eagle Brand, remove a fourth cup, and use the rest in a lemon pie. The gin poached cherries...delicious. The cake was carefully mixed and nearly overflowed the 9" cake pan while baking. I served it as suggested. Overall a very sweet dessert where a little goes a looooong ways. I can see why it serves 16. Next time I will stack the ingredients into a narrow flute.
enelra
Nashville TN
8/25/2013
