okay so this is not the puffed up light cake, but a rich extreeeemely!! moist flattish cake with crushed cardamom pods and best served as a dessert with a dollop of FULL FAT creme fraiche not the cheap watery low fat calorie stuff.
okay so here goes then:
Equipment:
a 23cm (9in) springform cake tin.
Ingredients:
180g butter softened plus a little extra for greasing.
100g caster sugar plus extra for sprinkling.
100g soft light brown sugar.
3 eggs , lightly beaten.
200g plain flour.
1 egg yolk.
1 heaped tsp baking powder.
15-20 cardamom pods, seeds only, finely crushed (i have said 15-20 as you will adjust it to your taste).
finely grated zest of 4 medium oranges.
1 tbsp orange blossom water, or an orange skin simmered in 100ml of water till reduced by 50%) optional.
250g ricotta cheese.
Method:
preheat your oven to 180c Gas Mark 4. grease and sprinkle with sugar your cake tin. Put the butter and sugars in a large bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy (5 mins). add half the eggs and half the flour and beat well. Add the rest of the eggs and the egg yolk and the remaining flour together with the baking powder as well. Beat and add the crushed cardamom seeds, orange zest, orange blossom water and the ricotta.
dollop the mixture the carefully into the prepared cake tin and bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 25-35 mins. the cake will be firm to the touch but the crumb still very moist. Remove form the oven and leave to cool before turning out and serving.
best served straight from the oven with that big dollop of the creme fraiche! Enjoy . R :o).
Eat Well...Feel Well 