Election Cake
A traditional Parsi yeast-raised cake, known as Election Cake, featuring a rich, brioche-like texture infused with aromatic cardamom and nutmeg. This historical recipe combines the heartiness of bread with the sweetness of cake, using a generous amount of butter and eggs for a golden, tender crumb. Perfect for special occasions, it offers a delightful slice of culinary history with its unique fermentation method and warming spices.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds Wheat flour (refined/all-purpose) (Originally 'Mill's No. 1 Wheat Flour'.)
- 1 pound Sugar (finely crushed)
- 1/2 pound Butter (softened)
- 2 tablespoons Active dry yeast (Originally '0.75 lb fresh hops yeast' (liquid starter). Substituted with modern active dry yeast equivalent for this flour volume.)
- 1 cup Whole milk (warm) (Originally '0.5 seer'. Converted to approx 1 cup.)
- 4 whole Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Cardamom powder (Originally '0.5 tola'. Converted to approx 2 teaspoons.)
- 2 teaspoons Nutmeg powder (Originally '0.5 tola'. Converted to approx 2 teaspoons.)
- 2 tablespoons Butter (for greasing) (Quantity estimated for greasing the mold.)
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Instructions
- 1Dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
- 2In a large tinned vessel or mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, softened butter, eggs, cardamom, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly to incorporate all ingredients.
- 3Add the yeast mixture to the dough and mix well. Cover the vessel and place it in a warm spot (near a stove, but not too close) to allow the dough to rise until doubled in size.
- 4Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a cake mold with butter. Once the dough has risen, transfer it into the prepared mold. Bake in the preheated oven until the cake is well-browned and cooked through, approximately 45-50 minutes.
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