Buttermilk Spice Cake

Pinched from the pages of Bon Appetit magazine, this is a moist slightly spicy dense, but light, cake.  Delicious, I served mine with a dollop of unsweetened yogurt and fresh passion fruit, they recommend creme fraiche, but who has that on hand?

Buttermilk Spice Cake (Bon Appetit March)

1 c flour

1/4 c cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp each of ground allspice, ground ginger, ground black pepper, ground whole star anise (don’t skip this spice, it really makes the cake) put a small amount of star anise in a spice mill, grind. Save any extra for other uses.

1/2 c (1 stick) room temp unsalted butter

3/4 c sugar

2 large eggs

1 3 inch piece vanilla bean

1/2 tsp finely grated lime peel

3/4 c buttermilk

Heat Oven 350 F.  Butter and line a 9 inch cake pan.

Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, soda and all spices together.

In a standing mixer, cream sugar until fluffy, gradually add sugar beat until smooth.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions.  Scape vanilla from pod and add with lime zest to egg mixture.  Beat in flour and buttermilk, alternately in 4 additions, ending with flour mixture.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 30 mins, until tester comes out clean and is golden brown on top.