Armenian Nutmeg Cake

Going through my file of pictures and doing some general blog maintenance I came across a series of photos for an Armenian Nutmeg Cake that I have, gasp, not shared with you yet!  I've been holding out on you, but rest assured it was not deliberate.




From first cake. Mmmm

I made this one day, ate so much of it myself that I had to make another to save a piece to freeze for feedback and share the rest with friends.

Fresh, this cake rocks my world.  It seriously did.  I called my mother to tell her about it. Uh-huh.

From the second, but not the last, cake.

I found it on mmmisformommy's website and the recipe list was so short and simple, I just had to try it.  Her recipe calls for walnut pieces, but I just wasn't in the mood for nuts - my life is nuts enough to share - so I left them out.  Then, I fell so in love with the velvety rich texture without the nuts that I may forever leave them out.

It is imperative to use fresh nutmeg.  If you are not willing to grate your own or don't own a microplane, just ensure the spice you are using is as pungent and fresh as possible.  Maybe even treat yourself to a new container for this cake.

Armenian Nutmeg Cake

slightly adapted from mmmisformommy

1 cup milk
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, chilled and cubed
1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 egg

- combine the milk and the baking soda. Set aside.

- in food processor, add the flour, baking powder and brown sugar and pulse to combine. 

- add the cubed butter on top and pulse until you get tan-coloured crumbs. 

- press half of the crumbs (2 cups) into a greased 9" springform pan.

- add the egg and the nutmeg to the crumbs remaining in the food processor and process until combined.

- add the milk/soda mixture and and continue to mix until a lumpy sand-coloured batter is formed. 

- pour over top of the bottom crumb layer and bake 350F for 50 minutes, or until it tests as done. 

- cool in pan and remove sides and serve.

 

The second time I made it, I did not use my food processor but rather my pastry cutter which I enjoy cleaning way more than my beast of a machine. 

It's just beautiful as is, could be served at any function, it's gorgeous.

 

The cake lost some of it's flavour after a brief freeze.  The texture was just fine, but it had lost that over-the-top, lose-yourself-in-it spicy-ness it had fresh and barely warm out of the oven.

 

Beauteous!

This would be great served with coffee or tea to chat with a friend, it also travels well in lunchboxes or on a road trip.