Chai-Buttermilk Spice Cake
Snagged this recipe from a magazine. The kicker is that it's a low fat recipe, which is part of the problem. I made this tonight for a dinner party we were supposed to attend. All-in-all it went over well but I felt it was just al little too bland, very moist, but once you got past the powdered sugar on the top the rest entered bland zone. I'm going to try it again because it was perfectly moist, but this time turn some of the no fat ingredients into fatty death ingredients.
Success Rating: 2.5 of 4
See if you can do better:
1/2 cup boiling water
6 chai tea bags (I used Lipton's Chai tea)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup (3 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided into 1/4 cups (why becomes apparent later)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fat-free buttermilk (I ended up using light since that's what I had)
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (This is a powder found in the spice section. We didn't know that.)
Cooking spray (We used Pam)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Pour boiling water over tea bags in a bowl; steep 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags; cool to room temperature.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, stirring with a whisk. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the 1/2 cup of brown sugar. (This was a little confusing, but it's why the sugar is divided) Beat in brewed tea and vegetable oil. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. ( As you start the process, it will become obvious why this is gradual as your mixer almost lights on fire in your hands)
4. Using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-third of egg whites into batter; gently fold in remaining egg whites. Spoon batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. (I used a 9-inch round, and it worked like a champ) Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
This servers up 12 small slices.
Calories per slice: 263
Back to Cooking Diary
Snagged this recipe from a magazine. The kicker is that it's a low fat recipe, which is part of the problem. I made this tonight for a dinner party we were supposed to attend. All-in-all it went over well but I felt it was just al little too bland, very moist, but once you got past the powdered sugar on the top the rest entered bland zone. I'm going to try it again because it was perfectly moist, but this time turn some of the no fat ingredients into fatty death ingredients.
Success Rating: 2.5 of 4
See if you can do better:
1/2 cup boiling water
6 chai tea bags (I used Lipton's Chai tea)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup (3 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided into 1/4 cups (why becomes apparent later)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fat-free buttermilk (I ended up using light since that's what I had)
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (This is a powder found in the spice section. We didn't know that.)
Cooking spray (We used Pam)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Pour boiling water over tea bags in a bowl; steep 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags; cool to room temperature.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, stirring with a whisk. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the 1/2 cup of brown sugar. (This was a little confusing, but it's why the sugar is divided) Beat in brewed tea and vegetable oil. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. ( As you start the process, it will become obvious why this is gradual as your mixer almost lights on fire in your hands)
4. Using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-third of egg whites into batter; gently fold in remaining egg whites. Spoon batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. (I used a 9-inch round, and it worked like a champ) Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
This servers up 12 small slices.
Calories per slice: 263
Back to Cooking Diary
