For the next year I am doing a project - a different cake each week
for an entire year - following the book All
Cakes Considered: A Year's Worth of Weekly Recipes Tested, Tasted and
Approved by the Staff of NPR's All Things Considered. You can read
about the start of my project here
and look at each week to date here.
I'm debating about renaming these blog posts to 'the ongoing fight my oven' project. I've now had one overcooked cake and one undercooked cake (I swear I'm really not that bad a baker) and I was bound and determined to get this one right. And the author notes right off the bat that this one can be a tricky one to get the cooking time right. Guess what? She was right.
The recipe: Missy G's Sweet Potato Pound Cake
I really wasn't sure what I would think of this one. Of all the cakes I could make, one with sweet potatoes as the main ingredient wasn't really on the top of my list. But that's one of the reasons I'm doing this project, right?
First, the flavour. Not my favourite. It reminded me too much of pumpkin spice desserts. Maybe I would have liked it better in the fall, closer to Thanksgiving. But Jim loved it so maybe it was just me.
Second, the cooking time. Again it was undercooked! The recipe called for the cake to bake for 70 minutes. I checked it and it wasn't done. And then checked it again, and again, and again. I finally pulled it out after 95 minutes when my testing knife finally came out clean. I still think it was a tad undercooked although the darker spots were likely due to the high amount of sweet potato that was in it.
This week I'm buying a thermometer for my oven to see if I can figure out what's going on.
Recipients: I took this week's cake to the first meeting of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.
Verdict: Okay but even if I could get the cooking time right next time, I don't think I'd make it again.
Up next: Key Lime Cake.
I'm debating about renaming these blog posts to 'the ongoing fight my oven' project. I've now had one overcooked cake and one undercooked cake (I swear I'm really not that bad a baker) and I was bound and determined to get this one right. And the author notes right off the bat that this one can be a tricky one to get the cooking time right. Guess what? She was right.
The recipe: Missy G's Sweet Potato Pound Cake
I really wasn't sure what I would think of this one. Of all the cakes I could make, one with sweet potatoes as the main ingredient wasn't really on the top of my list. But that's one of the reasons I'm doing this project, right?
First, the flavour. Not my favourite. It reminded me too much of pumpkin spice desserts. Maybe I would have liked it better in the fall, closer to Thanksgiving. But Jim loved it so maybe it was just me.
Second, the cooking time. Again it was undercooked! The recipe called for the cake to bake for 70 minutes. I checked it and it wasn't done. And then checked it again, and again, and again. I finally pulled it out after 95 minutes when my testing knife finally came out clean. I still think it was a tad undercooked although the darker spots were likely due to the high amount of sweet potato that was in it.
This week I'm buying a thermometer for my oven to see if I can figure out what's going on.
Recipients: I took this week's cake to the first meeting of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.
Verdict: Okay but even if I could get the cooking time right next time, I don't think I'd make it again.
Up next: Key Lime Cake.
You may have been disappointed by this cake, but I was thrilled that you took the time to bake it and bring it in to our meeting! I had skipped dinner in order to set up for the meeting and that cake sure tasted good to me!
That cake looks yummy. The key lime cake is going to be perfect for summer!!!! YUM!
It looks so delicious! I think it would taste so good with a pumpkin spice latte. Mmmmmm...
And I wanna know more about this Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild. It sounds awesome. I didn't know you were into quilting. I totally want to make a few more quilts but I need some serious encouragement. You're making me want to move to Vancouver.
my oven is HORRIBLE - I invested in an oven thermometer and it has helped somewhat. The trouble with baking is that it is usually more finicky (sp?) than just plain old cooking!