Fruit Pastry Cake

Steps

1. Wash, cut the fruits into chunks or slices as desired, and drain. Toss with sugar if desired and set aside. (If using canned fruits, wash them to remove the syrup and omit the sugar.) Grease and flour the sides of a 9” (23 cm) round pan or an 8” (20 cm) square pan, and line the base with parchment paper.

2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and sour cream (or yogurt) until light and fluffy. Gradually drizzle in the eggs, beating until incorporated into the batter (the mixture may appear slightly curdled). Add the vanilla extract and zest, and mix to combine. Sift in the flour and baking powder, and mix until smooth.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange the fruits on top without pressing them into the batter. Decorate the fruits as desired.

4. Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 60-70 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Cover the top with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent it from becoming over-browned.

5. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Unmold it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust the cake with icing sugar if desired.