WASHINGTON CAKE RECIPE

Washington Cake Recipe image

Provided by BobLongo

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

2 cups sifted cake flour, or 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted (7 ounces/200 grams)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (65 to 67°F) (2 sticks/8 ounces/225 grams)
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, or 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (9.25 ounces/265 grams)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten (¾ cup/7 ounces/200 grams)
1/4 cup heavy cream or milk (2.125 ounces/60 grams)
2 tbsp brandy or sweet wine (such as Port)
2 tsp vanilla extract or rosewater
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped raisins (8 ounces/225 grams)

Steps:

1 1/2 cups dried currants (8 ounces/225 grams) 12 servings Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes Yields: One 9- by 5-inch loaf, 9-inch round, or 9-inch tube cake, or four 5- by 3-inch loaves Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, 9-inch springform pan, 9-inch (9-cup) tube or Bundt pan, or four 5- by 3-inch (2-cup) loaf pans, line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, and grease again. Loaf ban lined with parchment. Sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Sifting dry cake ingredients over a mixing bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium, gradually add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Adding eggs to butter in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Total time for beating in the eggs is about 4 minutes. Adding eggs to butter in a mixing bowl. Add the cream, brandy, and vanilla. Adding wet ingredients to creamed butter. In 3 additions, fold in the flour mixture. Folding flour into wet cake batter ingredients. Stir in the raisins and currants. Stirring dried fruit into cake batter. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1¼ hours for a large loaf pan or springform pan; 1 hour and 5 minutes for a tube pan; or 40 minutes for the small loaf pans. Spreading cake batter into loaf pan. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the cake to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 1½ hours. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into slices. VARIATIONS: Double the recipe and bake in a 10- by 4-inch (16-cup) tube or Bundt pan for about 1¼ hours. Spicier Washington Cake: Omit the fruit and cloves, and increase the nutmeg to 2 teaspoons and cinnamon to 1½ teaspoons.