Jun 10

Armenian Nutmeg & Walnut Cake

armenian
I love baking and am mostly self taught. I enjoying reading new recipes but sometimes I feel too lazy to attempt them. But when u have company, that encourages u to try new things. So a group of us bakers try out new recipes and it’s so much fun gorging on bakes u never would have attempted before. Thanks again Anuja Sule from Simple Baking for another amazing recipe.

armenian
When I made this cake I was so confused as the recipe is so different from a regular cake. The base mix is dry and the rest so watery. I was worried how it would bake but the end result was a chewy delicious base with a light cake on top. Such an interesting combination. Was polished off so fast, I was shocked.

armenian
ARMENIAN NUTMEG CAKE – Anuja Sule (Simple Baking)
Ingredients:
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups (280 gm) all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups (400 gm) brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup (170 gm) butter, preferably unsalted, cubed
1/2 cup (55 gm) walnut pieces, may need a little more (I used pistachios)
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg (try to grate it fresh yourself; the aroma is enchanting)
1 egg

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to moderate 175°C.
  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. One sift is fine.
  4. Add the brown sugar. Go ahead and mix the flour and brown sugar together.
  5. Toss in the cubed butter. Mash the butter with a fork into the dry ingredients (you can also use your fingers if you want). You’ll want to achieve a more-or-less uniform, tan-colored crumbly mixture.
  6. Take HALF of this resulting crumbly mixture into your springform (9”/23cm) pan. Press a crust out of it using your fingers and knuckles. It will be easy.
  7. Crack an egg into a mixer or bowl. Toss the nutmeg in with the egg. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Pour in the rest of the crumbly mixture. Mix that well, with either a paddle attachment, or a spatula. Or continue to use the whisk; it won’t make much of a difference, since the resulting batter is very runny.
  10. Pour the batter over the base in the springform pan. Gently sprinkle the walnut/pistachio pieces over the batter.
  11. Bake in a preheated moderate oven 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.
  12. Allow to cool in the pan, and then release. Enjoy!