Malted Milk Black-And-White Pound Cake

I have been holding out on you my dear, dear Internet. This was a cake I made waaaay back in April, and I am only just now getting around to writing about it. I have plenty of excuses but I know you don't want to hear them-so I will just tell the truth.

I forgot!

The bad thing about having made this cake so long ago is that I don't remember too many details about it. I do remember that I made the cake for company and that I had been pressed for time. The cake took longer to make than I had anticipated so I ended up in one of those stereotypical situations where the doorbell rings just as I am pulling the cake out of the oven. I know we ate it just a few hours after I made it and NOT after letting it stand overnight as per the directions. I do remember that the baby had "helped", I even have a cute picture of her lying on the floor covered in cake batter clutching one of the electric beaters and sucking on her bottle. I don't remember anything being too difficult about making the cake itself, except perhaps having some doubts that the "swirl" was going to happen without my helping it along. Hmm, now that I'm thinking about it I DO also remember that I had been annoyed because the cake came out a bit dry (I need to calibrate my oven or something-that’s been happening to me a lot lately). I also remember that I thought the cake was a bit too sweet, but I'm also a very tough critic of my own cooking, everyone else thought the cake was delicious. I don't know. I sometimes think its hard to step back and look at the whole process of my cooking objectively, I always put so much effort into making something, letting my anticipation build-up so much (perhaps unrealistically) so that when I finally get to sample the end result, I am often just a little let down. I guess I'm silly. Anyway, it was good cake and you know how much I love pound cake and this one had the added bonus of being MALTED! Mmmmm, malted.

From "Baking in America" by Greg Patent

Malted Milk Black-And-White Pound Cake

This is a beautiful, mysterious cake. Part of a vanilla batter is spread in the pan, chocolate is added to the remainder, which is poured over the light batter. The two batters are not marbled or swirled. During baking the chocolate layer is "swallowed" by the lighter batter and is only revealed when you cut into the cake. You can find malted milk powder in supermarkets, where dry is milk is sold.

• 3 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1/2 cup malted milk powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 7 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup chocolate syrup (Patent notes here that he uses Hershey's)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 10x-4-inch tube pan, with a removable bottom, with cooking spray and dust all over, including the tube, with fine dry bread crumbs (not flavored). Tap out the excess crumbs and set aside.

2. Resift the flour with the malted milk and salt; set aside.

3. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar about 1/4 cup at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat for 6 to 7 minutes, until fluffy and light in color. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat 1to 2 minutes more. Scrape the bowl and beaters.

4. On low speed, add half the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Beat in the milk, then the remaining flour, bating only until well combined. Scrape 5 cups of the batter into the prepared pan and level the top with a rubber spatula. Add the chocolate syrup, baking soda, and almond extract to the remaining batter and beat only until thoroughly combined. Pour the chocolate batter over the light batter and smooth the top, do not mix the two.

5. Bake for 1 hour and 25 to 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown on top and springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. Do not over bake

6. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Cover with another rack and invert the tow. Carefully remove the pan, cover with another rack, and invert again to cool completely right side up.

7. Transfer to a cake plate and let stand, covered, for several hours, or preferably overnight, before serving. Use a serrated knife to cut into thin slices.

Makes one 10-inch tube cake, 12 to 16 servings

Written by Deb on August 9, 2005 12:59 AM