BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE WITH PIMMS-SOAKED FRUITS
BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE WITH PIMMS-SOAKED FRUITS
BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE WITH PIMMS-SOAKED FRUITS

Ingredients
  • 250ml/9fl oz Pimms or similar fruit 'cup'
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • split
  • 250g/9oz caster sugar
  • 200g/7oz strawberries
  • hulled
  • 3 kiwi fruit
  • peeled and thickly sliced
  • 100g/3½oz raspberries
  • 150g/5½oz blueberries
  • 375g/13oz plain flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 500g/1lb 2oz sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 225g/8oz butter
  • softened
  • plus extra for greasing
  • 6 free-range eggs
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • seeds scraped out
  • 1 lemon
  • zest only
  • 225ml/8fl oz buttermilk
  • clotted cream
  • to serve
Directions
  • For the Pimms-soaked fruits
  • place the Pimms
  • vanilla pod and sugar into a pan and bring to the boil. Boil for 6-8 minutes
  • or until reduced to make a syrup.
  • Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the fruit in a bowl then pour the syrup over the fruit.
  • Preheat the oven to 165C/325F/Gas 3.
  • For the buttermilk cake
  • sift the flour
  • baking powder
  • sugar and salt into a large bowl.
  • Place the butter into a separate bowl and beat in the eggs
  • one at a time. Add the vanilla seeds and lemon zest and mix well.
  • Add the buttermilk to the mixture
  • then pour this mixture into the flour mixture and fold together.
  • Grease and line a 22cm/9in springform cake tin. Pour the cake mixture into the tin.
  • Transfer to the oven and bake for about 1½hours
  • or until golden-brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the tin
  • then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • To serve
  • cut the cake into wedges and serve with a dollop of clotted cream and a spoonful of the Pimms-soaked fruits.