Cake of the Day: Rose Pound Cake from ‘Scandinavian Baking’
Every day, Yahoo Food features delectable cakes. They taste good, they look good, and they’re made by good people — talented bakers from around the world. This week we’ll be sharing traditional Scandinavian desserts from Trine Hahnemann and her new cookbook Scandinavian Baking. Check back to Cake of the Day for more Swedish cakes.
Sandkage, Swedish for rose pound cake. (Photo: Columbus Leth)
Rose Pound Cake (Sandkage)
Serves 8
Easy to make, this is always part of a “cake table,” as it is the one cake
everyone can agree on! It’s also the cake I baked most as a child, as it
can’t really go wrong. The almonds keep it wonderfully moist, so it is great
for a day or so after baking as well, especially to dunk in coffee. This basic
recipe can be adapted to make many different flavors, by adding finely
grated unwaxed or organic citrus zest, dried fruits, or cocoa powder.
For the cake:
1 1/8 cups butter, plus more for the tin
2 cups skin-on almonds
1 ¼ cups superfine sugar
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
7 tablespoons whole milk
For the frosting:
6 tablespoons rose jelly
1 2⁄3 cups powdered sugar
Pink food coloring (optional)
Unsprayed rose petals
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 6 ½ cup loaf tin and line the
base with parchment paper.
Blitz the whole almonds, with their skins, in a food processor until they are
ground. You will get far superior results with freshly ground almonds, so do
take the trouble and don’t skip this step!
Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flour and baking powder and mix them into the ground almonds.
Fold into the butter mixture with a spatula, adding enough of the milk to reach
a dropping consistency. Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake 1 hour in the hot oven. Let cool 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire
rack. Leave until cold.
Place the rose jelly in a bowl, gradually add the powdered sugar, and mix until
you have a smooth frosting; the color will be a pale rose-pink. If you want a
bright pink, add a tiny amount of food coloring. Now add the minutest splash of
water, continuing to whisk, until the consistency is smooth and not too runny.
Place the pound cake upside down on a serving dish—so the flat base is on
top—and spread the frosting over the cake. Decorate with the rose petals.
Reprinted with permission from Scandinavian Baking: Sweet And Savory Cakes and Bakes, For Bright Days and Cozy Nights by Trine Hahnemann.
Scandinavian Baking. (Photo: Columbus Leth)
More fall cakes to love:
Rye Bread Layer Cake with Black Currant Jam
Fall Apple and Hazelnut Layer Cake from ‘Scandinavian Baking’
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf from ‘Clean Green Eats’
