Armenian Nutmeg Cake {Daring Bakers}
I used to have a dog named Snowy. She was terribly cute and completely white (hence the insanely creative, original name).
Sometimes she would be the sweetest, most charming dog you'd ever met.
Most times, though, she wasn't (just look at the photo below for evidence). It may have something to do with her wardrobe. But, what dog wouldn't love to always being primped and dressed?
Don't answer that.
I may also be forgetting to mention another part of the story.
Snowy wore a diaper too. I won't get into the logistics, as mentioning her incontinence on the web might embarrass the late canine, but I think that maybe she felt that this diaper recked her style. Here she was, a nine pound, 18 inch wonder with no hope for a social life.
Because she wore a diaper and a parka.
And sometimes sunglasses.
If Snowy were still alive today, I'd bake her this cake and ask her to forgive me for putting her into all of those darling outfits. It is April's Daring Bakers Challenge and it's perhaps one of the most amazing treats I've ever tasted. It's rich and buttery with a caramely sweetness. The staring ingredient, nutmeg, is prominent, but in the most perfect way.
This cake is a hug from a friend. It's sleeping in on Saturday morning. It's the feeling you get when you sit in front of a roaring campfire in the depths of summer. It can cure a broken heart or fix a flat tire. It would totally make Snowy feel better about her clothing predicament.
The crust is delicious and buttery. It reminds me of soft baked shortbread.
And nutmeg. I can't even begin to describe it. I do like nutmeg, but often I've found that it can be overpowering. In this cake though, it is poi-fect! I only used a teaspoon, but if you enjoy the nutmeg-y flavor, add an additional 1/2 teaspoon.
The only modification I made to this glorious cake was using unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I'm certain regular milk would work just as well, but I wanted to try it.
Walnuts are an excellent addition to the top of the cake. They add a bit of a crunch and they become fragrant and nutty after baking.
It is so moist and tender. I'm sure it would pair excellently with coffee or tea or even cardboard.
Obviously I didn't like the cake... ;)
Looking for other cake recipes?
Summer Strawberry and Peach Cake
Pumpkin Cake with Caramel, Chocolate Chips, and Walnuts
Armenian Nutmeg Cake from Jason at Daily Candor
Makes 1 9-in cake (about 12 slices)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk (I used almond milk)**
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) baking soda
- 2 cups (480 ml) (280 gm/10 oz) all-purpose flour**
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) (10 gm) (⅓ oz) baking powder
- 2 cups (480 ml) (400 gm/14 oz) brown sugar, firmly packed**
- 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) (180 ml) (170 gm/6 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) (55 gm/2 oz) walnut pieces, or more to taste
- 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons (5 to 7 ½ ml) (5 to 8 gm) ground nutmeg (I used 1 tsp.)
- 1 egg
Method
1. Preheat your oven to moderate 350°F/175°C/gas mark 4.
2. Mix the baking soda (not baking powder; that's for the next step) into the milk. Set it aside.
3. Sift together the flour and the baking powder into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar. Mix the flour and brown sugar together. Toss in the cubed butter. Mash the butter with a fork into the dry ingredients (you can also use your fingers too). You'll want to achieve a uniform, tan-colored crumbly mixture.
4. Take HALF of the crumbly mixture and press it into a 9-in (23 cm) springform pan to form a crust (I used a cake pan with a removable bottom, like this one). Set remaining mixture aside.
5. In a mixed or a bowl, crack the egg and toss in the nutmeg. Start mixing slowly with a whisk attachment and then increase to medium speed, or mix with a hand whisk if you're doing it manually. Once it's mixed well and frothy (about 1 minute using a standing mixer, or about 2-3 minutes of vigorous beating with a whisk), pour in the milk and baking soda mixture. Continue to mix until uniform. Pour in the rest of the crumbly mixture that you set aside earlier. Mix well, with either a paddle attachment, or a spatula.
6. Pour the batter over the base in the springform pan. Gently sprinkle the walnut pieces over the batter. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. You'll know it's done when the top is a golden brown, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan, and then release the sides of the springform pan or remove from cake pan. Enjoy!
** Notes **
** I used almond milk instead of real milk because it was what I had. I thought that it was so incredible (although I haven't tried it with real milk to know the difference).
**I weighed my ingredients. I found that there was quite a different between ingredients like flour and brown sugar that were measured in cups and measured on a scale. If you have access to a scale, I'd recommend it for this recipe.