Thursday, May 8, 2008

Cardamom Pound Cake

Cardamom Pound Cake

Cardamom Pound Cake

"You might have to make another one of these before you go."

That was my mom's verdict on this rich, warmly spiced pound cake. It's a simple recipe that I highly recommend to anyone who likes cardamom. I like it lightly toasted with black coffee, but it'd be great with fruit compote or ice cream as well.

I love how much my family and neighbors enjoy my baking. I made another Cardamom Crumb Cake and caught different people (myself included) picking at the streusel all day. I made granola, a flan, a breakfast bread pudding, two kinds of cookies, and an apple-raspberry crisp. Today i'm going to try and whip out a cheesecake before I start packing for my return to Pittsburgh.

On a side note, I much prefer David Leite's Baked French Toast to the Breakfast Bread Pudding in Fresh Every Day. The texture was pretty unfortunate.

Sour Cream Cardamom Pound Cake
adapted from Sara Foster's Fresh Every Day
makes 1 10-inch tube or bundt, or 2 9x5 inch loaf pans

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for buttering the pan
3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter a 10 inch tube pan or bundt pan (or 2 9 inch loaf pans) and dust lightly with flour. You can also line the pans with foil or parchment paper.

2. Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

3. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and cardamom together with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.

4. Add a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix in half of the sour cream. Repeat, alternating between the flour mixture and sour cream and ending with the flour until all the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition and mix only until all the ingredients are incorporated and no flour is visible.

5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s) with a rubber spatula and smooth to even out the top. Bake the cake on the center rack of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn the cake out of the pan onto a baking rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature. This cake will keep, tightly wrapped in plastic, for several days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

11 comments:

Sarah said...

I am so making this tonight!

P said...

I love that you do stuff with spices. I learn so much about the possibilities of baking from your blog.

Clumbsy Cookie said...

Oh good does that cake looks?! I love that you cut wide pieces, perfect for me, lol! I adore cardamom, I just wish it wasn't so expensive here... Have a safe trip back home.

Christine said...

Wonderful! The texture looks perfect, very moist and fluffy.

Shelby said...

Hello Lisa, I am letting you know that I was tagged with a "Look what I made" and you are mentioned yet again in my blog for your Foster's homemade granola. I also think you may be interested in knowing that some members of a cooking forum I belong to have made your granola this month also and it is well liked! I actually am making it again tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

Is the amount of butter correct?
3/4 cup = 1 1/2 sticks right?

Cannelle Et Vanille said...

Your family is very, very lucky Lisa! I bet they don't want you to leave after all that baking... And this pound cake, although simple, sounds like something I could have right now with some tea. Gorgeous photos too!

Potluck Crafters said...

your blog is glorious!

Helene said...

This WILL be made this weekend. For real!

Rachel@fairycakeheaven said...

I haven't read your blog for a few weeks but on seeing this am kicking myself, would have made this the moment I saw it and but for the fact it's 22.25 at the moment, DEFINITELY one for next weekend.

Dana said...

Love this. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices.