Orange Poppy-seed Cake With Berries And Creme Fraiche

FOR THE SYRUP
1 c Fresh orange juice
1/4 c Plus 2 tablespoons Grand
-Marnier or other
; orange-flavored liqueur
3 tb Sugar
1/4 c Julienne strips of orange
-zest; (preferably removed
; with a zester)
3 c Mixed berries
Confectioner’s sugar for
-sifting over the
; cake
Creme fraiche as an
-accompaniment

Make the cake:

Into a bowl sift together the flour, the salt, the baking soda, and the
baking powder and stir in the poppy seeds. In a large bowl with an electric
mixer cream the butter with 1 cup of the sugar and the zest until the
mixture is light and fluffy. In a small bowl whisk together the yolks, the
sour cream, and the vanilla until the mixture is combined well and beat the
flour mixture and the yolk mixture into the butter mixture alternately,
beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each
addition. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat the whites with a pinch
of salt until they are foamy, add the cream of tartar, and beat the white
until they hold soft peaks. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a little at a
time, beating, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Stir about
one third of the meringue into the batter to lighten it, fold in the
remaining meringue gently but thoroughly, and pour the batter into a
buttered and floured 10-inch springform pan, smoothing the top. Bake th e
cake in the middle of a preheated 350F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until
a tester comes out clean.

Make the syrup while the cake is baking:

In a small saucepan combine the juice, the liqueur, the sugar, and the
zest, heat the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sugar
is dissolved, and remove the pan from the heat.

Transfer the zest with a fork to a bowl, pour 1/3 cup of the syrup into the
bowl, reserving the remaining syrup, and add the berries to the bowl. Toss
the mixture until it is combined well and chill it, covered, for at least 2
hours and up to 24 hours.

Remove the cake from the oven, transfer it in the pan to a rack, and poke
the top immediately all over with a skewer. Brush the top of the cake
generously with half the reserved syrup, letting some of it run down
between the cake and the side of the pan, and let the cake stand for 10
minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan, remove the side of
the pan, and invert the cake onto the rack. Poke the cake all over with the
skewer and brush it generously with the remaining syrup. Re-invert the cake
onto another rack and let it cool completely. (The cake may be made 1 day
in advance and kept wrapped well in plastic wrap or in an airtight
container at room temperature). Just before serving, sift the
confectioners’ sugar over the top of the cake and serve the cake with the
macerated berries and the creme fraiche.