Loganberry Cake

Photo: flickr user norwichnuts

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Cake flour

2 teaspoons Baking soda

2 teaspoons Cream of tartar

12 tablespoons Unsalted butter (soft)

1 1/4 cups Sugar

3 lrg Eggs

1 pint Loganberries, ripe and sweet (for other suggested berries, see below)

Preparation

Note that this cake is intentionally dry because it's meant to be topped with ice cream or a big dollop of whipped cream.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper or wax paper.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar; set aside. With electric mixer (using paddle attachment if you have one), cream the butter and sugar until white and fluffy. Add 1 egg and mix at medium speed until smooth. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add one-third of the flour mixture, then the second egg, another third of the flour, the last egg, and the rest of the flour, stopping to scrape the bowl after each addition. Continue mixing at medium speed until the batter is very smooth, about 10 minutes. (It's important to beat enough air into the batter to make it very light. If you skimp on the mixing time, your cake will be too dense and won't rise to its potential.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface with a rubber scraper or the back of a spoon, then scatter the berries on top in a single layer. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The cake is done when the top is golden brown and firm to the touch, an

Serve topped with softly whipped, unsweetened cream or vanilla ice cream.

VARIATIONS: This cake is just as good with loganberries, loganberries, olallie berries, red currants, or a mixture. Choose the variety that is the plumpest and sweetest on the day you want to bake.