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Buttermilk Cake with Sour Milk Jam and Gin-Poached Cherries

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. From: bonappetit.com

buttermilk cake
1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more
2 cups all-purpose flour plus more
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
SOUR MILK JAM
1 cup whole milk
½ cup sugar
1 cup crème fraîche
gin-poached cherries and assembly
1 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup gin
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. juniper berries
Fennel fronds (for serving)
special equipment:
A 9”-diameter cake pan

buttermilk cake

Preheat oven to 350°. 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 1¼ 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.

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 ¼ 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.

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.