SEMOLINA POUND CAKE WITH GIN POACHED RHUBARB AND CAMPARI CHERRIES

​makes one 9" x 5" cake

For the pound cake-
 
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup semolina flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
zest of one orange
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup plain Greek-style yogurt or sour cream
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
 
Lightly butter one 9”x 5” loaf pan; line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust the pan with flour, and tap out the excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, cardamom, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar.
 
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and orange zest/sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl and beat on medium until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the yogurt (or sour cream.) Add the vanilla. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of the pre-heated oven until the center tests clean with a small knife or toothpick, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Set the cake to cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then use a small offset spatula or knife to loosen the cake from the pan. Carefully turn the cake out and let it cool completely on the cooling rack. (If you are not serving the cake that day, wrap it in plastic wrap. It can be stored, wrapped, at room temperature for 3 days.)
 
For the gin poached rhubarb-
 
3 tablespoons good quality gin (I’m a fan of Hendricks)
3 tablespoons sugar
1½ cups of diced rhubarb (make sure to remove all leaves, rinse the rhubarb and pat dry)
 
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, place the gin and sugar. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the diced rhubarb and simmer for 7 minutes, just until the rhubarb softens but still holds its shape. Use a slotted spoon to remove the rhubarb from the saucepan; place the rhubarb in a bowl to cool. Reduce the liquid in the saucepan slightly, until it becomes syrupy. Let the syrup cool completely then add it back to the cooled rhubarb. Cover and refrigerate until serving or up to 3 days.
 
For the Campari soaked cherries-
 
1 cup sweet or sour cherries, rinsed, stems removed, pitted
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons Campari
1 tablespoon sweet vermouth
1 vanilla bean, split
 
Place the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. When cool, add the sugar syrup to the cherries. Add the Campari, sweet vermouth, and the vanilla bean to the cherries. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
 
For the Negroni glaze-
 
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Campari
1 tablespoon Gin (or 1 tablespoon syrup from the gin poached rhubarb)
1 or 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (depends how thick/thin you prefer the glaze)
 
Place the powdered in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually add the Campari, gin, and orange juice, whisking until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooled pound cake and smooth with an offset spatula. Let the glaze set before slicing. Garnish with gin poached rhubarb and Campari cherries.