Blackberry Buttermilk Cake

Happy July 4th! While this recipe is not patriotic (think purple and yellow, not red/white/blue), I thought I’d share it anyway as it’s berry season. And berries are delicious. And this cake is delicious. And berries are only around for a month or so in central Cali so it is best to eat as many as possible while they are in season.

A couple of weeks ago I posted about the fabulous berries I got at Impossible Acres. Mmm berries! So plump and ripe.

I usually like to have my berries fresh, but J and I saw the Blackberry Buttermilk Cake recipe in the July 2011 Bon Appetit and we decided that we had to try it.

You start with a buttered and floured spring form pan. And then throw in berries and sugar. I was tempted to start eating now, but I didn’t.

Then you mix lots and lots of butter with flour, buttermilk, and other things.

Bake until golden. It smelled so good at this point.

Once partially cooled, flip over and unmold. Not so pretty and a bit moist.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

The verdict? Yummy, but not my favorite berry dish. I still can’t get over how good berry tarts are. It was light and fluffy and very berry. I think it is best eaten fresh. I might add a side of cream or vanilla ice cream next time.

The recipe can be found here or copied from the website:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan and parchment
• 2 1/3 cups cake flour (sifted, then measured) plus more for pan
• 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) fresh blackberries
• 1/4 cup plus 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

• special equipment:

  Use a 9″-10″-diameter springform pan

Preparation

• Position a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Butter pan; line bottom with a round of parchment paper. Butter parchment. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Arrange berries in a single layer in bottom of pan; sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup sugar.
• Sift 2 1/3 cups flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a medium bowl; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup butter and remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar in a large bowl at medium-high speed, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and zest. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until incorporated. Pour batter over berries in pan; smooth top.
• Bake until cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Let cool in pan set on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a thin, sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen. Remove pan sides. Invert cake onto rack and remove pan bottom; peel off parchment. Dust top generously with powdered sugar and let cool completely.