Cardamom Cake

Thanks for all the votes, folks. Berries with Mascarpone Cheese tied with Kentucky Cream Candy in the results, but neither were made in the Hadley house. I was feeling a little too lazy for the Kentucky Cream Candy, and I couldn't find any mascarpone cheese for the life of me. Where do you all obtain such a product? I live in one of the largest cities in the U.S.; I'm sure it's here somewhere.

At any rate, a box from my grandmother came, quite fittingly, on Valentine's Day. Boxes from my grandmother always mean the same wonderful thing: cookies from Burke's Bakery. Every familial birthday cake comes from the fabled (it's fabled in our reality, guys) bakery, as well as the rolls for every family meal, and these magical gingerbread men that serve as the treats for all the little celebrations in between. Burke's is also the purveyor of some of the most amazing pimiento cheese in the world. I have, more than once, contemplated planting myself at the Burke's Bakery doorstep and demanding an apprenticeship so that I, too, could have fairy-like baking abilities.

Needless to say, all other desert plans were set aside. Valentine's Day desert consisted of gingerbread men and these little things we Kentuckians call wedding cookies. Oh, man. Heaven, indeed.

On Sunday, however, I did throw this little thing together:


It's another one of those "use the basic ingredients in the cupboard to make something tasty and preserve one's savings" Hadley recipes. In retrospect, I'm realizing that I should have taken a picture of a nice, fluffy middle piece. Sorry for leaving you all with an edge bit. Looks aside, though, this cake was voted a keeper.

Cake Ingredients:
3 cups + 2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cardamom
2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 1/4 stick half melted butter
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together. In another bowl mix together melty (like that terminology?) butter, milk, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Slowly fold in dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix.

Bake at 350 degrees for forty to fifty minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Other things you might consider integrating: sour cream, orange juice, cranberries, lemon or orange zest, and amaretto.

Awesome Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
I am not using the word awesome lightly. This was the best cream cheese frosting I have ever made. Some of the best I ever tasted.

8 oz. cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. almond extract (optional)
1/4 tsp. salt

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature, as this will make it easier to handle. Mix all ingredients together energetically with a fork (my chosen method), or gently with a mixer.

This icing is thick, and I've found it spreads best when the cake is still a little warm.

Happy baking, folks! I promise to return with some non-food related missives soon. But since I've got you here, let me know, where do your favorite sweets come from?