Spice Cake with Cardamom-Coffee Icing

For the Cake:

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached flour


• 1 1/2 tsps baking powder


• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar


• 1 cup sugar


• 2 Eggs


• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk


• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom


• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


• 1/2 tsp ground cloves


• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper


• 1 stick butter


• 1 tsp vanilla powder


• 1/2 tsp salt

Cardamom-cofee icing:

• 1/4 cup milk


• 1 tbsp coffee powder


• 1 tsp ground cardamom


• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


• 1 tsp vanilla


• 2 sticks butter


• 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

To Make the Cake

Sift the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars, then add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, mixing until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Beat in the other, dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk, but beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until just smooth: about a minute. Pour into a greased and floured pans and bake in a preheated 180 degree celcious oven for about 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a racks for about 10 minutes, then remove from the cake tin.


To make the icing

Heat the Milk and dissolve the coffee powder in it, then allow it to cool. Beat together the remaining ingredients, then add the coffee/milk mixture and continue beating until fluffy. Slice the cake horizontally, making two pieces. Spread a coating of the cardamom coffee icing onto the bottom slice and replace the other half. With the remaining icing, spread it evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle a few cardamom seeds or coffee beans over the cake for decoration.

Courtesy : Mike Harrison

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