Baking Adventure #1: Citrus Butter Loaf Cake
Cookbook: Sugar Rush by Johnny Iuzzini
Techniques Learned: Zesting, Juicing, Buttermilk Substitution
This cake was my first foray into a more complicated bake. I wanted to try something that wasn’t boxed brownies or cake or a Pillsbury sugar cookie log (all of which are good, none of which would challenge me). This cake provided me with an ample challenge and new techniques to try (not to mention a lighter wallet because I had some tools I needed to purchase). As I looked over the recipe it also seemed like something that would be a surefire hit. None of the ingredients were unusual or things I hadn’t tasted before, so provided everything went well, it should have tasted like it was supposed to taste without any surprises.
The cake is full of the basic cake-y things: butter, sugar, eggs, flour. What really threw me for a loop was measuring out all the ingredients with a scale (for more accurate baking) as well as zesting and juicing the orange and lemons required for the cake. I was particularly pleased that the recipe did require the whole of the fruits, both the zest and the juice. I hate having ingredients I purchase specifically for baking (see the molasses cake recipe post) go to waste because I only need a teaspoon or so.Â
Speaking of ingredient waste, this cake requires buttermilk. To be specific, it requires 5 tablespoons of buttermilk, which is not enough to warrant a purchase at the grocery store. I turned to the internet to see if there was a substitute for buttermilk, and lo and behold, there was!Â
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-quick-easy-buttermilk-substitute-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-185757
I use a scant half cup of whole milk and half a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice that came from the cake recipe. This substitution worked great for what was needed and the cake turned out perfectly!
What I would not recommend is using white vinegar instead of lemon juice. The fourth time I made this cake I accidentally pitched the remaining lemon juice from the cake down the sink and had to try the white vinegar, and that did not work nearly as well. The cake didn’t have the rise that it needed and the buttermilk-honey glaze overtop it didn’t give the it the soft, springy top that the cake needed.
Results:
The cake itself is a dense, citrus cake. It’s not overly citrus and it’s not overly sweet. It’s very reminiscent of a pound cake. Mr. Iuzzini recommends serving stewed fruit over it and I concur. The sharpness of stewed berries (raspberries in cranberry juice with a bit of vanilla) added another dimension to the cake itself. I have made this cake at least four times over the past two months and intend to make it again, it’s a great cake to have on hand for breakfast with coffee or as an after-dinner dessert.Â
Recipe:
I don’t really want to post the recipe because I really think that the book Sugar Rush is worth the purchase. It was pricey at $40, but it is an extremely solid cookbook. It is not only packed with recipes, but it also explains why you need to do the things you do as you bake. Why does your butter have to be cold instead of room temperature? What really happens when you accidentally overmix your meringue? It explains the basics step by step with visuals for certain recipes. It’s a fantastic book. I have it nearby all the time at home in case the baking mood strikes (which is at least once a week, now).Â