Poppy Seed and Vanilla Pound Cake with Citrus Plum Compote

Ingredients

• 4 cups cake flour sift before measuring
• 5 tablespoons poppy seed
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 each vanilla bean
• 1 3/4 sticks butter
• unsalted softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs warmed in water
• warm for 15 minutes
• 1/2 cup light cream (half&half) at room temperature for half an hour
• 2 pounds plums firm and ripe
• peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 1/2 cup sugar or to tast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest freshly grated
• divided
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg grated

Instructions

1. For the pound cake:
2. Postion the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350F.
3. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with butter, then flour it.
4. Add flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, whisk until well blended.
5. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with tip of a paring knife into a bowl, then add butter and sugar, beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to4 minutes.
6. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each adding.
7. At low speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with half and half, starting and finishing with flour, and blending until just incorporated.
8. Spoon batter into loaf pan, smoothing top.
9. Bake until golden, brown and a wooden stick inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 60 minutes to 80 minutes.
10. Cool in pan for half an hour.
11. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert cake onto a wire rack.
12. Cool completely, right side up.
13. To make the compote:
14. Add fruit, 1/2 cup sugar or to taste, 1 teaspoon zest, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan, stir until well mixed.
15. Simmer, stirring once a while, until fruit starts falling apart and liquid is slightly syrupy, 30 to 35 minutes.
16. Remove from heat and mix in remaining 1/2 teaspoon zest and nutmeg.
17. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
18. Serve warm or at room temperature.