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.

Big Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cookies

Big Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 40 (page 38 of 2011 edition).

These are big, soft cookies (no nuts) that practically melt in your mouth. They have a very sandy texture. An interesting sidenote: I baked these on 2 cookie sheets, one with a silicone mat and the other with parchment paper. Both cookies baked correctly at the same time but their appearance was different. The cookies on the silicone mat (left) were perfectly smooth and the ones on the parchment paper (right) had a cratered look. I think the cratered ones looked the best - both tasted the same. 

 

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 oz. (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk 

Preheat oven to 375.

Line cookie sheets with parchment (see my note above).

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

Slice the butter into small pieces and place it in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan. Add the chocolate and melt over low heat.

Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar with a wooden spoon.

Add the egg.

Add the vanilla.

Stir until smooth.

Stir in half of the sifted dry ingredients.

Gradually add the milk, a few drops at a time.

Add the remaining dry ingredients.

Stir briskly until smooth.

Use a heaping teaspoon and place in even mounds 2-3 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

 Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let stand for a few minutes before transferring to a rack with a wide metal spatula. Prepare the glaze.

Chocolate Glaze

1 oz. (1 square) unsweetened chocolate 
1 TBS. unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp. hot water
2 TBS. heavy cream
1 cup strained confectioners sugar

Melt the chocolate with the butter in a small double boiler over moderate heat. Remove the top of the double boiler and stir in the hot water and the heavy cream.

Add the confectioners sugar and stir until smooth. You may need to add more water or sugar to get the desired consistency (similar to a heavy cream sauce)

Smooth the glaze over the tops of the cookies or use a pastry bag to make designs. Let stand for a few hours to dry.