Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Fruit Compote

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Have ready fruit compote.

   Step 2

   Preheat oven to 350°F. and grease and flour an 8- by 2-inch cake pan, knocking out excess flour.

   Step 3

   In a bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cornstarch, poppyseeds, baking powder, and salt and with fingers blend in butter until incorporated. In a large measuring cup lightly beat together milk, zest, vanilla, and egg.

   Step 4

   Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just blended and pour batter into pan. Bake cake 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove cake from pan and cool on a rack.

   Step 5

   Serve wedges of cake topped with fruit compote.

2. To make the fruit compote:

   Step 6

   In a small saucepan bring water with sugar, lemon juice, and thyme to a boil, stirring occasionally, and boil until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup to room temperature and stir in vanilla. In bowl combine fruit and syrup and chill until cold. (Compote may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.) Makes about 4 cups.