Buttermilk Cake
A rich, historical Parsi-style fruit cake that uses fresh, thick buttermilk for a tender, moist crumb. This dense, aromatic cake is studded with currants and black raisins, spiced with fragrant cardamom and nutmeg, and leavened with a traditional soda-acid combination. It offers a delightful balance of sweet dried fruits and the subtle tang of buttermilk, perfect for serving with afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound All-purpose flour (Originally 'Mill no pehla number no ghau no aato ratal 0.5'. Approx 2 cups.)
- 1/2 pound Dried currants (Originally 'currant drakh sher 0.5'. Cleaned.)
- 1/2 pound Powdered sugar (Originally 'meda khand'. Approx 2 cups.)
- 1/2 pound Butter (Originally 'soji makhan' (pure butter). Can substitute with ghee or shortening. Approx 1 cup.)
- 2 ounces Black raisins (Originally '5 tolas'. Large, seeded.)
- 1/4 cup Thick buttermilk (Originally '0.5 pasher'. Fresh and thick.)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cardamom powder (Originally '0.5 tola'.)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Nutmeg powder (Originally '0.5 tola'.)
- 1 teaspoon Tartaric acid (Flat spoonful. Can substitute with 1 tsp Cream of Tartar.)
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda (Flat spoonful.)
- 1 tablespoon Butter (For greasing the mold.)
Instructions
- 1Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a round cake tin (approx 8-inch) with butter.
- 2Wash the currants and black raisins thoroughly and pat them completely dry. Sprinkle a small amount of the flour over the dried fruits and toss to coat them evenly (this prevents them from sinking in the batter).
- 3In a large mixing bowl (originally a tinned vessel), combine the butter and sugar. Add the remaining flour, prepared fruits, cardamom, nutmeg, and buttermilk. Mix everything thoroughly until the batter is uniform (ek ras).
- 4As the final step, add the tartaric acid and baking soda to the mixture and mix well to distribute. Immediately pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, leaving about 2 inches of space at the top for rising. Place immediately into the hot oven and bake until golden brown and cooked through (approximately 45-50 minutes).