Sometimes, you just crave the unusual. I came across this beauty of a cake in my mom's old 1974 version of Classic Canadian Cooking a few years ago and made it for my parents at Christmastime. Not being a fan of spice cakes at the time (chocolate was more my speed) I didn't really like it. The last time I had a slice (at some other get together) I loved it! I'm a total spice freak, I add cayenne to brownies, cloves to hot chocolate, and pumpkin pie spice to my eggs! The black pepper in this otherwise simple, homey cake gives it just the right amount of "pep", so to speak! Feel free to serve it with some sort of other topping than caramel if you'd like (spiced pears or peaches would be good), but I serve it as is, even without caramel, for snacking with a cup of tea.
Black Pepper Spice Cake
Adapted from Elizabeth Baird’s Classic Canadian Cooking (1974)
Serves 12
½ c shortening
¼ c apple butter
¾ c packed dark brown sugar
¾ c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ c cake flour
1 c whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour three 9” round pans.
Cream shortening, apple butter, and sugars.
Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla and mix very well.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture.
Pour into pans, spreading out to create a slight depression in the middle of each.
Bang pans sharply on countertop.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until tests done.
Cool in tins 10 minutes, invert onto racks and cool completely.
Fill between layers with apple butter, or plum, raspberry or cherry jam, drizzle top with your favourite caramel sauce, or serve plain.
Adapted from Elizabeth Baird’s Classic Canadian Cooking (1974)
Serves 12
½ c shortening
¼ c apple butter
¾ c packed dark brown sugar
¾ c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ c cake flour
1 c whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour three 9” round pans.
Cream shortening, apple butter, and sugars.
Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla and mix very well.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture.
Pour into pans, spreading out to create a slight depression in the middle of each.
Bang pans sharply on countertop.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until tests done.
Cool in tins 10 minutes, invert onto racks and cool completely.
Fill between layers with apple butter, or plum, raspberry or cherry jam, drizzle top with your favourite caramel sauce, or serve plain.
*The links I posted for the fillings are to the Stonewall Kitchen products that I personally love, they aren't paying me for the mention (though that would be awesome, lol. Just kidding!)
If you add pepper to strawberries they taste fanstastic, so, why not add it to spice cake!!!! Don't see why not. This is a tried and true recipe so I believe you!!!
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