Sliced into bars, rolled in sugar, then seared in a skillet until the edges are lacy and crisp, this cake pairs beautifully with a spoonful of tart or sour cream sweetened with homemade milk jam.
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- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Ready Time: 60
Ingredients
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray 2 teaspoons (heaping) juniper berries 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 2/3 cups sugar plus more for coating 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 cup buttermilk 3/4 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs Milk Jam Crème Fraîche (click for recipe) SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: A spice mill
Recipe Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13x9x2" glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; spray parchment and set aside. Toast juniper berries in a small skillet over medium heat until aromatic, 2–3 minutes. Let cool. Finely grind in spice mill.
- Sift flour, 1 2/3 cups sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and ground juniper berries into a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, oil, eggs, and 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. water in a medium bowl. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared baking dish; smooth top.
- Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill in freezer until frozen, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 weeks ahead. Wrap in 2 layers of plastic; keep frozen.
- Unwrap cake and invert onto a work surface; discard parchment. Using a long serrated knife, trim cake to form clean edges. Cut cake in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 1 1/4-inch–wide bars. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour a layer of sugar onto a plate. Roll each bar in sugar, coating completely. Working in batches, caramelize cake in skillet, turning with tongs to brown evenly, about 30 seconds per side per batch (be careful; the sugar burns quickly). Serve warm, with Milk Jam Crème Fraîche.
