There used to be a Swedish bakery not far from our place, and they had a signature cardamom bread, which I like very much. So I decided to try this out myself, but instead of bread I wanted to make a pound cake. You can get cardamoms at some supermarkets, but I think you'd find them much cheaper in Indian grocery stores. They come in two kinds, with shell (green) and without (brown). Get the green ones; the shell keeps it fresh and also preserves the flavor.
Another important ingredient in my pound cake is advocaat. In Germany, we call it Eierlikör (literally, egg liquor). It's similar to eggnog, but the taste is quite different, especially that there is no alcohol in eggnog. A very popular thing for us is to drink advocaat served in shot glasses made of dark chocolate. Yum! I have never made or tasted homemade advocaat myself, but here is a recipe if you want to try.
I found a great recipe for my cake in Baking for all occasions by Flo Braker. I changed it a little bit and added cardamom and advocaat instead of eggnog, which makes it a great moist spice cake.
Advocaat (Eggnog) - Cardamom Pound Cake:
(adapted from "Baking for all occasions" by Flo Braker)
1/2 cup (65 grams) raisins
2 tablespoons dark rum
3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
4 green cardamom pods
2 sticks (225 grams) unsalted butter
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup advocaat (egg liqueur) or eggnog
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons powder sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons water
Combine the raisins with the rum in a small bowl and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180° Celsius). Butter your bundt or tube pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Take the cardamom seeds out of the shells and crush the seeds in a mortar. Add to the flour mixture.
Cream the butter with a mixer, then add the sugar continuing on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs one at a time still beating.
While mixing more slowly alternately add the flower mixture and the advocaat/ eggnog plus the vanilla.
Fold in the raisins with the rum and spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 55 - 65 minutes.
Mix together the powder sugar, rum and water to make the glaze. Apply on the hot cake with a pastry brush.
Let the cake cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy and Guten Appetit!
