Berry Buttermilk Cake

The cake is very light and airy, and the use of berries (I would have liked fresh berries, but they weren't on sale) gives it a tangy sweetness that somehow makes things...sunny.

Berry Buttermilk Cake

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar, plus 1 Tbsp sugar, divided

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
6 oz. frozen or fresh berries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in the middle. Butter and flour (or spray with Pam) a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.

Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter berries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm. Invert onto a plate and serve!

*tip: if you don't have buttermilk (which I never do), you can substitute it with regular milk and lemon juice, mixed in a ratio of 1 Tbsp to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before using in recipe.