I love how a cream cake comes together so easily, its tender crumb and its neutral pound-cake-like personality. But until I started playing around with different sugars, it always seemed too bake-shop bland. Like shortbread, the rather neutral ingredients show off whatever sugar (or flour) you use. Maple sugar is subtle and warm, while the superdark organic brown sugar or muscovado make a caramel-like cake that calls out for ginger and a bit of pepper. In the end, it's a great cake for fall and winter, when we turn to apples, pears, and dried fruits.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 8

　　3/4 cup all-purpose flour

　　3/4 cup cake flour

　　1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　2 eggs, at room temperature

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　1 cup maple sugar, dark muscovado, or organic dark brown sugar

　　1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

　　1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

　　1 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　

Step 1

Butter and flour a loaf pan or an 8-inch springform pan. If using a loaf pan, line the bottom and ends with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Combine the flours, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk them together. Make a well in the middle.

　　

Step 3

Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, beat the eggs until foamy, then add the cream, sugar, and flavorings. Beat until you have what looks like soft whipped cream. (If using maple sugar, the cream may not thicken, but the cake will still work.) Pour the mixture into the center of the flour mixture and whisk together just until well combined and free of lumps. Scrape the batter into the pan and even it out.

　　

Step 4

Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then remove the rim or turn the cake out of the pan and remove the paper. Cool before slicing.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 210.0 calories

　　50.0 calories from fat

　　6.0g total fat

　　3.5g saturated fat

　　25.0mg cholesterol

　　85.0mg sodium

　　37.0g total carbs

　　1.0g dietary fiber

　　15.0g sugars

　　3.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　Seasonal Fruit Desserts by Deborah Madison. Copyright © 2010 by Deborah Madison. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and The Savory Way, each earned the IACP's Julia Child Cookbook of the Year award. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone also received a James Beard Award, as did Local Flavors, her most recent book. She is also the author of the James Beard Award nominee This Can't Be Tofu! and The Greens Cookbook, which is now a classic. She lives in Galisteo, New Mexico.