BUTTERMILK CAKE WITH SOUR MILK JAM AND GIN-POACHED CHERRIES

Buttermilk Cake with Sour Milk Jam and Gin-Poached cherries image

Provided by Ari Taymor

Categories Cake Gin Milk/Cream Dessert Bake Cherry Buttermilk Bon Appétit Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher

Yield Makes 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

Buttermilk cake:
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more
2 cups all-purpose flour plus more
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Sour milk jam:
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup crème fraîche
Gin-poached cherries and assembly:
1 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup gin
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons juniper berries
Fennel fronds (for serving)
Special Equipment
A 9"-diameter cake pan

Steps:

For buttermilk cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour pan. Whisk baking soda, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour pan. Whisk baking soda, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl; set aside.
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.
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.
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.
DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
For sour milk jam:
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.
DO AHEAD: Jam can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
For gin-poached cherries and assembly:
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.
Spoon a few dollops of jam onto plates. Tear cake into pieces and arrange around jam. Top with cherries and fennel fronds.
DO AHEAD: Cherries can be poached 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.