Searching for an easy dessert to use up a jar of sorghum that had been hanging around my pantry for a while, I came upon this recipe on Epicurious from the Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham. It was a hit with everyone and would be a perfect ending for any wintry meal. I used Muddy Pond Sorghum, an excellent artisanal product made in the hills of Tennessee, but if you have trouble finding sorghum, molasses or cane syrup could be substituted.
Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided, plus more for pan
2 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for pan
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sorghum syrup
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Rum raisin ice cream (vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream would also be good)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch sides. Combine 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. Using your fingertips, rub together until mixture is crumbly; set topping aside. Sift remaining 2 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer at low speed, beat remaining 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, and sorghum in another large bowl, occasionally scraping down sides, until smooth, 2–3 minutes. Add eggs; beat until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared pan.
2. Bake cake until top looks just set, about 35–40 minutes.
3. Immediately sprinkle topping over cake; bake until a tester comes out clean when inserted into center, 20–30 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan. Remove pan sides.
4. Cut into wedges; serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
