Dessert: Irish Currant and Raisin Cake

Recipe by Nick Malgieri Rightfully this cake belongs in the chapter with the other cakes that contain dried fruit, but to me it is the quintessential coffee cake. It is a quick and easy version of a cake that I remember from my childhood, made by the mot

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cups and level off) plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup buttermilk or milk
One 2-inch-deep 8-inch round cake pan, buttered and bottom lined with parchment or wax paper

Instructions

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 °.
Stir together the 2 1/4 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle on medium speed until soft and light, about 5 minutes. Add the egg, beating until smooth.
Decrease the mixer speed to low and beat in half the flour mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Beat in the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture.
Give the batter a final mix with the rubber spatula.
Toss the currants and raisins with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and fold them into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until the cake is well risen and deep gold and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
Cool in the pan on a rack for about 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto a rack and remove the pan and paper. Invert the cake onto another rack and cool completely.
Storage: Wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature, or double-wrap and freeze for longer storage.

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