Curious Cardamom

Cardamom: The Vanilla of India...

How majestic sounding is that right? I've never cooked with cardamom before, in fact I'd never even heard of it 'til last year when found a super groovy Chai Snickerdoodle recipe. I'm not sure if this fancy-schmancy spice is like the best kept secret of India or if I'm just a tard, but I am totally sure that cardamom tastes like the bomb diggity shiznitz! I kid you not fools.

Before I really committed to cardamom, I thought it would be smart to fondle it a bit and see if it slaps me in the face.

The fondling started with my favorite cake recipe. Just plain old, minimal, cheap ingredients that make a bomb white cake that can be adjusted and changed easy-lemon-squeezy. I added 1 Tablespoon Cardamom and a 1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt for moisture, and made up a glaze for added goodness and decoration.

So, if you're just as oblivious to the wonders of cardamom as I am,try this cake.

Cardamom Cake with Raisin Cardamom Glaze

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cardamom
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease and lightly flour a 9x9x2 inch baking pan (I used a nine inch round cake pan). In a small mixer bowl combine all ingredients. Beat with electric mixer until combined. Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Turn into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before inverting and glazing cake.

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 Tablespoon cardamom
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup raisins

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer on low heat until reduced and thickened, about 3 minutes.
Pour through a fine mesh strainer over cake and spread far enough for glaze to drip over edges. Dump raisins from strainer onto center of cake.