KRAMPUS CAKE

December 6, 2013

I’ve just learned about Krampus, the European dude who visits homes alongside Santa Claus.  Santa’s there for the nice children whereas Krampus is more interested in the naughty ones.  

So when I came up with this cake today, I had to name it:

KRAMPUS CAKE

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp cardamom

½ tsp salt

¾ cup brown sugar

½ butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla

¾ cup plain yogurt

¼ cup milk

1/3 cup dates

2 tbsp candied ginger

CRUMBLE TOPPING

            1/3 cup flour

            ¼ cup brown sugar

            ¼ cup butter

            ¼ cup sliced almonds

·        First measure 1 cup flour.  Put some of it into a small bowl.  As you chop the dates and the ginger, stir them into the flour so they don’t stick together.

·        Zest a lemon:  measure 1 tsp and set aside.

·        Grease a 9x9 pan.

·        Preheat oven to 350.

·        Prepare the crumble topping and set it aside.

o   Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in preheated oven for about 5 minutes (just until lightly colored).

o   In a food processor, mix together 1/3 cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, and ¼ cup butter to make the crumbs.

o   Stir in the toasted almonds.

·        Prepare the batter:

o   Stir together yogurt and milk.  Set aside.

o   In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt.

o   In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon.

o   With a mixer, beat in eggs, one at a time.

o   Beat in lemon zest and vanilla.

o   Alternately, beat in the flour mixture and the yogurt.  End with flour.

o   Stir in the ginger and dates.

o   Spread batter in the cake pan.

o   Cover batter with the prepared crumble mixture.

o   Bake 45 minutes and test it.  It may take 48 to 50 minutes. 

Dates, ginger, yogurt, almonds, cardamom:  these things do go together!

*********

How did I come up with the cake?  I had some dates and candied ginger in my cupboard plus plain yogurt in the fridge.  J  And I liked the look of  Hello magazine’s Cherry Crumble Coffee Cake.

As I understand it, the rule is if you change 3 things in a recipe’s ingredients, you get to call it a new recipe!