Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Cold Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Ever since I saw this cake as the choice for this month's Cake Slice bakes, I wanted to make for the sole reason of the name of the cake-Cold Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake. I knew not what a cold oven method was and the second reason to do this for cream cheese being there in the cake. A cold oven cake is nothing by not preheating your oven and baking the cake to the required temperature for a longer time. I halved the recipe because it was being made to serve two.
This pound cake contains butter, cream cheese with a hint of lemon and ginger. I did not use ginger and instead added lemon juice along with the lemon zest. And yes, there's no cake flour available in India and like always I susbstituted that with plain flour and cornstarch. I baked it in a bundt and ensured proper greasing because oflate the cake refuses to come out in a single shape. Thankfully, this time there was no hassle regarding that. The cake was rained with powdered sugar. And I must say this was the most moist pound cake I have had to date. I don't know whether the reason could probably be the cold oven method. I even made a thin lemon glaze to drizzle over the cake. It only added to the already moist and lovely cake.
Ingredients ( I halved the recipe)
360g cake flour200g unsalted butter, softened
230g cream cheese, softened
500g caster sugar
6 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1½ tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
Method
Adjust the oven rack to the lower – middle position. Grease a large 10-12inch Bundt pan and dust with flour. Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl. Combine the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, ginger and lemon zest.
Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, a few spoonfuls at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Then mix of 30 seconds on medium speed.
Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Spread the batter into the Bundt tin and place the cake in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 160C and bake, without opening the oven door, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 65 to 80 minutes.
Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Ajwain Potatoes for Arusuvai Friendship Chain II
Nisa also sent me some wonderful homemade chocolates which were devoured the very same day. That is how good they were.
The revival of the ever popular Arusuvai by Sayantani am sure is a tremendous task at hand. The chain initiated by Latha, Bharathy and Srivalli, was fun then and it was nice of Sayantani to invite me to the second edition. I enjoyed being a part of the chain then and now as well. Read all about arusuvai here 
Ajwain paratha is something that I wanted to try but considering how bad I am when it comes to making rotis and their counterparts, it was best left at that. Ajwain as a herb brings along with it several benefits. It is known to be effective in treating stomach disorders.
The method I followed for these are the usual favoured recipe of mine. The only difference being the addition of Ajwain. I did read that Ajwain when used in its raw form can overpower the dish. Hence I roasted a teaspoon of the herb in ghee before adding them in. The herb did work for me in this form and will definitely be used in my cooking.
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