Caraway Seed Cake

This is an old-fashioned traditional Irish recipe. I had no idea what to except since I've never had caraway seed cake before and the idea seemed odd. The cake was good and everyone that tried it liked it as well. Not too sweet and it grows on you! It is great with a cup of tea.


Caraway Seed Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 128.

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 TBS. caraway seeds
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks
1 cup milk
Finely grated rind of 2 large lemons

Adjust rack 1/3 from the bottom. Preheat oven to 350. Butter (or spray) a 9 x 3 1/2 inch tube pan and dust it with fine bread crumbs.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

Beat the butter to soften it a bit.

Add the vanilla.

Add the caraway seeds. Mix well.

Add the eggs...

and the egg yolks.

On lowest speed add one third of the flour mixture...

and then about 1/3 of the milk. Continue to alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk, ending with the flour.

Stir in the lemon rind.

Turn into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 to 65 minutes. The cake is done when a tester comes out clean. Let the cake stand for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Place the cake on a large piece of wax paper in order to apply the glaze.

 

Glaze

1 1/4 cups strained confectioners sugar
1 TBS. lemon juice
1 TBS. boiling water

Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Pour over the hot cake.