Cardamom is one of my favorite spices to instantly transport me to India, but it’s not one I use very often. I often find myself reaching for the ever-popular cinnamon instead. Nevertheless, I decided to try this with the freshest cardamom I had, and it was amazing.
I also incorporated some bergamot oil to add a hint of Earl Grey to the whole thing. I intended to add actual ground Earl Grey tealeaves, but it wasn’t until I pushed the loaf into the oven – feeling accomplished – that I noticed the leaves still siting in a small bowl on my counter, unused. Sigh.
I made this pound cake just before my mom visited, and it did very well pre-sliced and frozen. We took out a slice each morning and zapped it in the microwave for 12 seconds. It was perfect with a cup of tea. It also was doubly delicious served as a warm accompaniment to simple vanilla ice cream.
Earl Grey Cardamom Pound Cake Makes 1 loaf
Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe 1¼ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. ground cardamom
¾ tsp. kosher salt
2 cups flour
1/3 cup whole milk*
3 Tbsp. (3 bags) Earl Grey tea
½ cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1 cup sugar
12 Tbsp. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. bergamot oil**
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Whisk the baking powder, cardamom, salt and flour together in a mixing bowl and set aside.
• Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it comes to a rolling boil. Add the Earl Grey tea, cover, and turn off the heat. Let the tea steep 30 minutes.
• Strain the tealeaves and discard. Pour ¼ cup of the tea into a bowl and whisk in the creme fraiche. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, using a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Then, add the vanilla extract and bergamot oil.
• On a low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half the tea and creme fraiche mixture, alternating until everything is fully incorporated.
• Scrape the batter into the loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula, and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool completely before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cake can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for 3 weeks.
* While ¼ cup milk is used in the cake batter, 1/3 cup is used to brew the tea and allows for any evaporation. ** Bergamot oil can be found at Karen Ann’s Supplies in St. Louis.
This article appears in Guide to the Holidays 2013.
