Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake~For my "Best Friend"

We sometimes do not speak to each other for months together,we might meet each other maybe once in 6 months or so but if at all we need each other,we know we are just a call away.I know the term "best friend" sounds quite mushy and teenage-y,but I like saying it-Yes,Mary is my best friend,one who has been with me through thick and thin and one who came to me dropping everything in her life at a point when I needed her the most.I remember,I had just called her and asked pleasantries and immediately she knew something was wrong.She came home with her toddler in tow and at least for a while,my worries were wiped away!!

Happy Birthday Mary--You are a special person and you mean a lot to me!!


She surprised me with a delicious cake for my birthday last year and I had some plans for her birthday too.Alas,she's not in Chennai anymore,so it has to be a virtual treat!!





I made this Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake,a different take on the Lime Buttermilk Pound Cake,recipe courtesy Deeba.As with her other bakes which I've tried,this one was super delicious too.I am starting to love the wonderful texture that buttermilk cakes provide.Since Mary loves iced cakes,I frosted the cake with some leftover chocolate buttercream from my birthday cake[yes!]which I had frozen.


Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake


Ingredients


Plain flour – 1 cup
Whole wheat flour – ¼ cup
Baking powder – ½ tsp
Cocoa powder – ¼ cup,heaped
Baking soda – ¼ tsp
Salt – ¼ tsp
Butter[unsalted]- ½ cup,room temperature[or 70gms butter & 30gms olive oil]
Sugar – 1 cup
Eggs - 2
Buttermilk – 100ml [or substitute recipe below]
Pure vanilla extract – 1 tsp

 

To make buttermilk substitute at home:

Take 100ml milk at room temp; add 1 tsp white vinegar. Let it stand 5-10 minutes. When it curdles, it’s ready.

Method

 

Grease and flour the sides of a 8″ ring tin, or a 6″ round tin. Line the bottom and sides.I used an 8’ round tin.

Preheat the oven to 170C.

Sift the flour with the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Reserve.

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

With beater on low add the flour and buttermilk alternately in three lots. {Stir in chopped nuts at this point if you like. Walnuts, almonds and pistachios go well with chocolate. Hazelnuts too.}

Bake for 50-60 minutes till golden brown on top, and the tester comes out clean.My cake got done in 50 minutes.

 

Finishing off…

Overturn the cake out gently on rack, and remove the lining. Turn it back on another rack. Let it cool for about 15-20 minutes. Spread the icing evenly over the cooled cake and dust with chocolate shavings.

Sending this to Ally's event Delicious Desserts!