Cranberry Buttermilk Cake

When I read a book, I like to be swallowed up by the story. I allow my mind to become lost inside the words, the feel...the atmosphere. So when I put finally put the book down, I see the world through the eyes of the character(s). The lighting cast from my lamps is no longer my own, instead it belongs on a foggy London street and the familiar creaky wood floor is the breath and life of a drafty old castle. Oh, how I love to read!

The same applies to working in the kitchen. When I bake and take photos, I like to set the mood by playing whatever music strikes my fancy at the time. Weather usually dictates the ambiance, but so does my idiosyncratic taste in music. I enjoy almost all genres of music, except country (I'll keep trying though!). Yesterday was one of those wonderfully strange weather days. It was cloudy and sunny, and drizzly, and indecisive. The clouds cast massive angry shadows as they rolled across the treeline, only to reveal the sunlight between each act. It was the perfect mix of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Leonard Cohen and Vivaldi.

Each recipe has its own soundtrack. This simple cranberry buttermilk cake mirrored the temperamental brooding sweetness of yesterday's weather, perfectly.

Cranberries are only available for about 60 days out of the year, this makes them all the more alluring. (Canned cranberry mush is not the same.)

Most of my taste-testers found this cake "Not quite sweet enough." Such a shame, really. More for me! True, this cake is not over-the-top sugary sweet, but I think it's perfect. The buttermilk works its magic and gives the cake a hint of tangy softness while the cranberries offer an assertively pleasant, check-tingling sour note. Plus, who can resist their intense colour or the way they burst open inside your mouth?!

I think this cake would be the ideal Thanksgiving dessert to polish off a rich, indulgent feast. Besides, someone almost always brings a rich, indulgent dessert anyway, and we almost always say "No thank you, I really shouldn't."--at first. 

Cranberry Buttermilk Cake
makes about 8-10 servings

for the cake
1 cup granulated sugar + 1 Tablespoon for sprinkling
1 Tablespoon orange zest (about 1 medium orange)
12 oz bag of fresh cranberries (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 Tablespoons for coating the cranberries
2 teaspoons baking Powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (that's 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 room temperature egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

method
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Grease a 9-inch springform pan. {Note: You may also use a 9-inch cake pan, but make sure it's at least 2-inches deep.} Line the bottom with parchment paper, grease the parchment and then lightly flour the entire pan with flour. Gently tap out any excess.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup of sugar with the orange zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until it's moist and aromatic; Set aside for a few minutes to marinate. ;)

In a separate large bowl, toss the cranberries with 2 Tablespoons of flour until evenly coated; Set aside.

In yet another large bowl (oh, dishes!), whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt; Set aside.

Add the butter to the stand mixer bowl with the orange/sugar mixture. Using the paddle attachment, beat until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes on med-high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well-combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

On low speed, alternate between the flour mixture and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, and only mixing until each addition has been incorporated. {Note: I added the flour mixture in 3 phases, and the buttermilk in 2.}

Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold in the cranberries.

Scrape the batter into prepared pan, using an off-set spatula to smooth out the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of sugar. {Note: Feel free to use more sugar!}

Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. {Note: My cake took 55 minutes to bake, but my oven is very angsty. Check for doneness at the the 45 minute mark.}

Remove the pan from the oven and onto a cooling rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

recipe adapted from Alexandra's Kitchen