I’ve made this cake a few times this year — it’s part of my ongoing experimentation with substituting whole wheat flours for white flours in all of my baking. (I went ahead and bit the bullet on a pantry clean-out, tossing all white flours and sugars, and replacing them with a variety of whole wheat flours and organic cane sugars.) But the knowledge that I’ve used whole wheat flours is not quite enough for this occasional baker. If I’m going to go to the trouble to measure and sift and bake and cool and clean-up (because I really do make a mess when I bake…), the final product also has to be really good.

And this cake is a winner in my book. Flavorful and moist and pretty simple. It’s delicious on its own but also a natural partner to seasonal fruit — from summer berries to winter citrus (as in the picture, along with some softly-whipped cream), and everything in between. Enjoy!

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
Adapted from “A Homemade Life” by Molly Wizenberg

4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup natural cane sugar
1 whole vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, the seeds scraped out
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (See note)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9″ springform pan with cooking spray; line the pan with a round of parchment paper, and then grease the paper.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and vanilla seeds, breaking up any clumps of vanilla seeds. Add the cornstarch, flour, baking powder and salt and beat on low speed to combine.

Cut the butter into smallish pieces and add to mixer, along with remaining buttermilk. Beat on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened, then increase speed to medium and beat until well-combined, about a minute. Add egg mixture in three parts, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds. The batter will be thick, pale and smooth. Scrape into the prepared pan, smoothing top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, then remove the sides. Invert onto a plate, remove parchment, then invert back onto the rack to cool completely.

Note: I’ve found that the best way to measure any flour, but especially whole wheat flour, is to spoon it into a measuring cup until it reaches the amount I want, trying to avoid packing it in or tapping it down as much as possible.

Wine Pairing: The tang of the buttermilk is somehow deliciously emphasized when paired with Sauternes!