Recipe: Berry Long Cake with Ginger Crumb Topping (using candied ginger)

BERRY LONG CAKE WITH GINGER CRUMB



FOR THE BERRIES:
1 pound berries, left whole if small, sliced if larger (6 cups prepped)
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
2 tablespoons brandy or pure vanilla extract

FOR THE GINGER CRUMB TOPPING:
1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) diced candied ginger
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes

FOR THE CAKE:
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces) fine cornmeal
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 eggs
2/3 cup whole milk

Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease one 2 1/2-quart square baking dish or 9-inch square cake pan, with 1 tablespoon of softened butter.

TO PREPARE THE BERRIES:
In a large bowl, toss together the berries with the 1/2 cup sugar and the brandy or vanilla. Set aside at room temperature while making the rest of the cake.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
Combine the brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and candied ginger in a small bowl. Blend the 4 tablespoons butter into the dry ingredients, using either your fingertips or a fork, until the mixture forms crumbs. Put the topping in the freezer while you mix the cake batter.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, cornmeal, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Add the 6 tablespoons butter and using your fingertips, work it completely into the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together and stir them into the dry ingredients until combined. Spread the batter into your buttered pan. Evenly distribute the sugared berries on top of the batter. Scatter the chilled topping over the berries.

Place the dish in the center of the oven. Bake until the berries bubble and the cake is firm (ignoring those places where the crumb topping has melted into the cake, since it's hard to tell in those oh-so-buttery spots), 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 30 minutes and serve warm from the dish.

Well wrapped and stored at room temperature, this cake keeps for up to 2 days.

Makes 1 (9-inch) square cake
Adapted from source: Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson