Welcome 2015. Welcome January. You are one lucky chap. The rest of the months act funny, play pricey, bring lots of mixed goodies and earn a bad name. But never you. You are always the goodwill ambassador, whom everybody loves to welcome in their home. After all, you bring the ray of hope with you along with announcement of the new year. We love to wait for you, to say goodbye to the year gone bye, and to get ready for new set of excitements and events of our lives. Yes you really are one lucky chap!
Our family always found picnics to be a great way to welcome the new year. The breeze in the air along with the winter sunshine is just the picture postcard way of a perfect family day. At least in Dubai, where this season is too good to be true. Not too cold, to pack us inside, not too warm to make us isolated from the pleasure of winter. Just pitch perfect. So a holiday is one where the whole city can be found in the outdoors. Mall visits can wait till scorching summer, when we would be forced to hide. Till then out we go....
And as comforting are the traditions of mid night parties on new year eve, and picnics on bright new day, same comfort we solicit from food most of the times. The sweet taste of freshly home baked cake, just soothes your senses to a comfort zone. Like the friend you had grown up with. Whom you can bank forever. At any time of the day and night. This recipe is also like that. Unpretentious, bankable and comforting.
The recipe of Swedish Visiting Cake was shared by the baking goddess Dorie Greenspan in her book, and she mentioned that it was friend's mother's recipe. Thanks so much lovely lady, where ever you are, for sharing, this gem of a recipe which is sheer buttery goodness with a sweet topping of almonds and sugar and smells heavenly of vanilla and lemon zest. Now if you are wondering about the rationale behind the name of the cake, then that's an easy one. This delightful cake is so easy to whip, that you can bake it right when you see visitors approaching. And it would be ready by the time they settle down for a cup of coffee. Intrigued? Get your baking pan out then.
Swedish Visiting Cake Recipe
An easy, buttery and delicious tea cake, which can whipped in a jiffy!
Recipe Source - Dorie Greenspan
Ingredients:
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp sugar (for sprinkling)
- 1 tsp zest of lemon/orange
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 120gm butter (melted and cooled)
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tbsp choco chips
Method:
- Preheat oven at 180 degree. Line an 8/9 " baking pan
- Take a large bowl and rub lemon zest to sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and whisk well, after each addition.
- Add salt and flavourings.
- Add the flour and stir till mixed. Then fold the melted butter to it. Do not over mix.
- Scrape batter to prepared pan. Top with almonds and choco chips (if using) an sprinkle sugar on top.
- Place in oven and bake for about 25-30 mins. Place outside for cooling.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note - Some melted butter will remain on top of batter, unmixed and that's fine.
Use of cardamom and choco chips are not part of the exact recipe.
Sending this yummy cake to the Bake Fest#39 being hosted by Vardhini of Cook's Joy.
