Cardamom-Vanilla Cake Topped With Nutella

It seems there is a special day for anything and everything under the sun. I am not one to follow these trends, so imagine my surprise when I learned that there was an entire day dedicated to Nutella!

I give Nutella my fair share of love, but nothing over the top really. I like to have it as an option to spread on toasts, pancakes and maybe, even ice cream. Boy used to love it and then lost interest. Well, that happens, right?

So, on said World Nutella Day, my Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter feeds were bombarded with images of this dark treat in every imaginable form; spread on crepes, baked in brownies, mixed into cake frosting, you name it, they did it all!

It had been a while since I baked a proper cake (because baking muffins doesn’t count), and I was just itching to get back into the groove. I really wanted a simple vanilla cake, perhaps enhanced a bit with something a little out of the ordinary. Like for instance, cardamoms. I love it like how the Mexicans love cinnamon.

I have spiced my cakes with cardamom earlier, but just a teeny-tiny bit (see this one). This time around I decided to be bold with it. I could then top this cake with Nutella frosting and everyone would be happy. Or would they? I felt the cake itself needed something to mirror the rich chocolatey taste of the frosting, so how about we add some chocolate chips as well?

Phew! Isn’t that one twisted evolution of a cake? So, to recap, I started with a basic vanilla cake, flavored with fresh cardamom powder, chocolate chips scattered in the batter and finally, topped with plain Nutella. I kept it plain, because Nutella itself is ganache-like and has enough flavor to be used as such. I didn’t see the need to add more butter and sugar. You could though, if a fluffy piped frosting is what you are after. But for a simple family-time cake, scoop some Nutella straight from the jar.

Enjoy every slice with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Maybe some milk for the little ones.

Before the recipe, a note on the cardamom powder I use. It is homemade by mommy dearest and is not a fine powder like the commercially available variety. She grinds whole green cardamom pods and adds a bit of sugar in the mixer to make it easier to grind. It is amazingly delicious-smelling and has a fairly long shelf life if stored in a cool, dry place. Sometimes, I simply open the bottle to take a whiff! I use it extensively in Indian desserts.

CARDAMOM-VANILLA CAKE TOPPED WITH NUTELLA

You will need:

• All purpose flour – 1 1/4 cups, divided
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Baking powder – 1/2 tsp
• Baking soda – 1/4 tsp
• Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
• Sugar – 3/4 cup
• Egg – 1, large
• Milk – 1/2 cup
• Vegetable oil – 1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
• Mini chocolate chips – 1/2 cup
• Nutella – 1 cup

How to:

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg.F and line a 9-inch baking pan with foil.
• Sift 1 cup flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cardamom powder, Keep aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and eggs for a few minutes till light and creamy.
• Add oil and vanilla extract and beat well for a minute on high.
• Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Fold in till just incorporated. Do not over-mix.
• Meanwhile, toss the chocolate chips in 1/4 cup flour and fold into the batter.
• Pour the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or till it passes the toothpick test.
• Remove from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Now remove from pan and cool completely.
• Once cool, spread Nutella generously on top of the cake and make little swirl patterns with a spoon.
• Serve with coffee, tea, milk or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Notes:

• The chocolate chips are optional. If you do not want to add them, simply use 1 cup flour for the cake and proceed.
• This cake keeps well for a couple of days in a sealed container at room temperature. For any duration longer than that, I would advise you to refrigerate it.

This has to be one of the simplest and most delicious cakes I’ve ever made. In spite of dusting with flour, the chocolate chips did sink a little, but we didn’t mind at all. The cardamom makes the cake itself deliciously sweet-smelling and flavorful. I hope you give it a try!

Tell me, do you like Nutella? Do you have any special recipes? Have you tried cardamom in cakes? Do share.

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