Ginger-Spice Tea Cake
If you're wondering what to make for an afternoon treat or a simple supper dessert, this surprisingly easy and handsome cake, with its glistening shartds of crystallized ginger, is the delicious answer. And on weekends, your family will revel in the aroma of this spice breakfast cake baking in the oven. They'll rise and shine for a sliver or a slice, especially when it's served with a brisk and bracing pot of your favorite breakfast blend of Bromley black tea.

1 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup sour cream at room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teasponns vanilla extract
1/3 to 1/2 cup fruit preserves at room temperature
1/2 cup thinly sliced crystallized ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking sodes, salt, cardamom, ginger, and white pepper together. Set aside.

In a mediujm bowl, whisk the sour cream and eggs together until blended. Beat in the brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar , and vanilla. stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spread 3/4 of the batter into the prepared pan. With th back of a spoon, lightly spread the preserves over the batter. Spread the remaining batter evenly over the preserves. (Don't worry if a swirl of preserves shows through.) Lay the ginger slices over the top of the cake, leaving a 1-inch rim around the outside edge. Sprinkly the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bake until the top is brown all over and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

Makes one 9-inch cake; serves 6 to 8


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