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 mother of my school friend, the late Noel Giles. Noel and I consumed about a ton of this cake per year between the ages of twelve and eighteen — a taste of it still makes me feel like a teenager.

　　

Ingredients

Makes one 8-inch cake, about 12 servings

　　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

　　

Step 1

1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°.

　　

Step 2

2. Stir together the 2 1/4 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

　　

Step 3

3. 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.

　　

Step 4

4. 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.

　　

Step 5

5. Give the batter a final mix with the rubber spatula.

　　

Step 6

6. 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.

　　

Step 7

7. 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.

　　

Step 8

8. 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.

　　

Step 9

Storage: Wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature, or double-wrap and freeze for longer storage.

　　Reprinted with permission from Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri, (C) 2002, HarperCollins Publishers Inc.