Syrian nutmeg cake

The world is going to be entirely changed after this ,hopefully for the better.

It is true what they say, you will never sense the value of a blessing until you lose it.

It has been over a month now since the lock down. The dinner table has been left dramatically undressed, silence has overwhelmed our house to the point where the only thing I can hear is my own breathing.

The fetid odor of the sterilizer replaces the gentle & warm smell of incense. Listening to my mom praying from distance , whispering to the lonely walls.

Last year we had to give up our Ramadan gatherings in order to protect our loved ones. I’ve never thought I would live to experience this festive social occasion without friends or family presence. Today, I’m praying & hoping for brighter days to come.

This recipe is adopted from Joanne Chang’s cookbook Pastry Love.

It has been calling my name for a quite sometime now and I wish it brings you joy and happiness to your dinner table.

1¾ cups firmly packed/ 385 grams light brown sugar

1 cup/150 grams whole wheat flour

1 cup/140 grams all-purpose flour

½ cup/1 stick/115 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup/240 grams Greek yogurt or labneh.

1 cup/120 grams walnuts, roughly chopped

1 large egg (about 50 grams), at room temperature

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon lightly packed freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup/120 grams heavy cream

½ cup/120 grams labneh

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with a parchment paper circle and set it aside.In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the brown sugar, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and melted butter. Mix on low speed until the butter is totally incorporated and the mixture is sandy and crumby. 

Remove about 1 cup/160 grams of the crumb mixture and press it over the bottom of the prepared pan. Press firmly to make an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Add the yogurt, walnuts, egg, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt to the remaining crumbs.

Mix on medium or by hand until the mixture is homogeneous, about 30 seconds using a mixer, about 1 minute by hand.Scrape the batter on top of the crumbs in the pan and spread it out evenly.Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, rotating the cake pan midway through the baking time, until the cake springs back when you press it in the middle and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Carefully invert the cake onto a flat plate and lift off the pan; peel off the parchment. Place a serving plate on top of the cake and turn it right side up so the softer cake part is on top. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, using a handheld electric mixer, or in a bowl using a whisk, whip the heavy cream, labneh, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla together until fluffy and light. Spread the whipped cream evenly on top of the cake. Use the back of a spoon or a knife to make a circular pattern on the cream. Serve immediately. Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Be sure to remove the cake from the fridge a few hours before serving so it can come to room temperature.