I really enjoy a good afternoon tea cake. One of my favourites is the original cinnamon tea cake, the first cake I ever baked. Armenian cake reminds me a little of tea cake. It's dense and tasty and nicely spiced with nutmeg. The crust on the bottom of the cake adds a little something special. It's also pretty easy to make and can be made a day or two in advance as it keeps well.
This is yet another cake with simple ingredients. The sour cream and extra egg keep it nice and fresh for a few days.
Start by combining the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl then use your fingertips to mix in the butter until the whole thing resembles fine bread crumbs.
Mine still had a few lumps when I was done. You have to make sure the butter is extra cold. Alternatively this can be done in a food processor.
Take half of the mixture and press it into the prepared tin.
Place the sour cream in a bowl or jug and stir through the baking soda until it has dissolved.
Add the eggs and nutmeg and stir them through.
Pour it into the remainder of the flour/butter and stir everything together until it is all combined.
Spread the batter into the tin and dust it lightly with icing sugar. Bake the cake at 160C fan-forced for 45 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
When the cake is baked, leave it to rest in the tin for 10 minutes.
Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dust the cake with icing sugar to serve. Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 cups plain AP flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup cold butter roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C (320F) fan-forced
- Grease a 20cm (9 inch) square cake pan and line it with baking paper.
- Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and stir them together. Add the butter and using your fingertips, rub the butter though until it forms a texture like fine breadcrumbs (or use a food processor).
- Add the sugar and stir it through.
- Take half of this mixture and tip it into the tin. Press it into the tin.
- In a small bowl, add the sour cream and baking soda and stir it through until it has dissolved. Add the beaten eggs and nutmeg then add them to the other half of the flour mixture.
- Mix it all together well then pour it into the tin.
- Dust the batter with a little cinnamon.
- Bake the cake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Leave it to sit in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool.
- Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Carol Harrison says
This has been one of my favorite cakes for decades. I found it in a women's group cookbook. I've recently fallen in love with cardamom, and may add a hint of that with the nutmeg.
crys says
I substituted water and cornstarch for the eggs and it worked! (1tb cornstarch and 3 tb water) It was neat that the bottom stuck to the top well and that the instructions were easy to follow. I think I'll add more nutmeg this time. Thanks!
Claire says
Great idea Crys. I'm yet to try that but I will have to start experimenting.
paula says
Looks delish! Love the idea of a crust on the bottom...yum:)
Claire says
I'll be making more crust-bottomed cakes in the future after tasting this one.
celia says
Interesting recipe, Claire! I like the two-layered effect...
Claire says
The crunchy layer on the bottom was fabulous!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
hehe snap! I used sour cream this week too! It lends such a nice texture to a cake. I love nutmeg too so this sounds heavenly :)
Claire says
Doesn't it? I makes it last a lot longer too.