Recipe: Spice Cake with Cardamom-Coffee Icing (using black pepper and buttermilk)

SPICE CAKE WITH CARDAMOM-COFFEE ICING

"Baking this cake fills the kitchen with a lovely spice scent. It is delicious served with strong coffee."

2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 stick(1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup white granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Cardamom-Coffee Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8-inch) or 1 (13x9-inch) baking pans.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and white granulated sugar together, then add eggs one at a time then vanilla, mixing until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping the sides of the bowl while mixing.

Beat in dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until just smooth, about a minute. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 30-35 minutes for layers, 40-45 minutes for the oblong cake, or until cake tests for doneness. Remove from oven and cool on racks about 10 minutes, then remove from pans (13x9-inch cake may be left in the pan) and finish cooling on racks.

CARDAMOM-COFFEE ICING

1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Heat the milk and dissolve the espresso powder in it, then allow it to cool.

Beat together the remaining ingredients for the icing together, then add the coffee/milk mixture and continue beating until fluffy.

Makes 2 (8-inch) layers or 1 (13x9-inch) sheet cake
Source: Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland by Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson