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Pound Cake with Red Fruit
Ingredients:
* 1 pound fresh raspberries, strawberries or pitted cherries or a combination of any
* 2/3 cup superfine sugar PLUS"PLUS" means this ingredient in addition to the one
on the next line, often with divided uses
* 2 tablespoons superfine sugar some for sprinkling
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 1/3 cup flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* pinch of salt
* 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 3 eggs, at room temperature
* 1 orange, grated zest only
* 1 tablespoon orange juice
Directions:
Remove a few whole fruit for decorating. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the fruit until smooth.
Add 1 - 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the lemon juice to the fruit puree, then process again to blend. Strain the sauce and chill.
Butter the base and sides of an 8 X 4 inch loaf pan or an 8 inch springform pan line the base with nonstick baking paper. Butter the paper and the sides of the pan again, then sprinkle lightly with sugar and tap out any excess from the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of the salt into a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 1 minute until creamy. Add the sugar and beat for 4 -5 minutes until very light and fluffy, and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the orange zest and juice.
Gently fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture in three batches, then spoon the mixture the prepared pan and tap gently to release any air bubbles.
Bake the cake for 35 - 40 minutes until the top is golden and springs back when touched. Transfer the cak in its pan to a wire rack and leavt to cool for 10 minutes. remove the cake from the pan, then cool for about 1/2 hour. Remove the paper and serve slices or wedges of the warm cake with a little of the fruit sauce and decorate with the reserved fruit. | 
