Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake

Continuing my current habit of being incrediably late with posts here is the Cake Slice groups April cake.

This month was a wonderfully delicious Cinnamon Swirl Buttermilk pound cake, from The Cake Book by Trish Boyle.  The cake has a subtle orange flavor that mixes wonderfully with the cinnamon streusel that is layered in the cake.  My only problem with this cake is that it was a bundt cake and bundt cakes and I don't get along.  This time I don't know if it was my inability to properly prepare the pan or the cake, as it split right at between the bottom layer and the streusel layer.  I am pretty sure it is me, but it is nice to think maybe the recipe had something to do with it.

Despite the way it looked the cake was still devoured little slice by little slice.  I enjoyed it with some strawberry sauce and Mike liked it with mango strawberry fruit salad. They weren't necessary additions as the cake was super moist and tender, but it was still nice to have a little extra fruit juice flavor.  The Streusel filling was a wonderful addition.  It melted in slightly giving a wonderful extra touch of sweetness. If I make this cake again though, I will add the Streusel in the top 1/4 of the cake rather than in the middle, partly for looks, and also in hopes that the two sections of the cake would adhere together a little better.

Be sure to check out the other cakes from the Cake Slice group and also Tish's blog for lots of sweet treats.

Cinnamon Swirl Buttermilk Pound Cake
from The Cake Book Printer Ready


Cinnamon Streusel Swirl:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Buttermilk Pound Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 cup buttermilk

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan. Dust the pan with flour and shake out the excess.

Cinnamon Swirl: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, breaking up any large lumps of brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until blended and crumbly.

Pound Cake: Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at a medium speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat at medium-high speed until well blended and light, about 4 minutes. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract and orange zest. At low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions and mixing just until well combined.
Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the batter. Scrape the remaining batter on top and smooth it into an even layer.
Bake the cake for 65 to 75 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.


Invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely.

Cake Slice - Strawberry Cake

This month there were two options for the Cake Slice group, a Strawberry White Chocolate Cake and a Lime Chiffon.  Since I had an abundance of strawberries I opted to make the strawberry white chocolate cake.
This cake didn't wow me, I found it very sweet and sticky, but my family and the neighborhood kids enjoyed it and it disappeared in just over 24 hours.  I wouldn't recommend this cake if you have fresh beautiful strawberries you want to show off, but if you are looking for a recipe to use up super ripe berries it is perfect.

 

June’s Cake: Fresh Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate Chips
Print Ready

(Recipe from Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman)

Ingredients
1 egg
1 egg yolk
½ cup sour cream
½ tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups all purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
6 tbsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
8 ounces strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks

Method - Topping
Heat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan and dust it with flour, knocking out the excess.
Combine the egg, egg yolk, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla in a large measuring jug and beat lightly. Combined 1¼ cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric whisk on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides when necessary.
With the mixer on medium low speed, pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the bowl.
Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time. After the last addition mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.
Combine the strawberries and remaining ¼ cup flour in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Fold the flour covered berries along with the chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake the cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let the cake cool ion the pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack and then turn it right side up to cool completely.

Cut into squares and serve.