November 3, 2020
I think we could all use a little comfort right now. For me, sweet baked carbohydrates are the equivalent of a serotonin shot, particularly if they are laced with a healthy dose of cinnamon or cardamom. When I am distressed and in need of comfort, I turn to sour cream cardamom coffee cake with a rich ribbon of cinnamon-fig streusel.
While you may agree that the act of eating cake is comforting, I can understand your hesitation to tackle the act of baking one in times of already high stress. But I promise that if you put in the very minimal effort this cake requires, the fruits of your labor are all but guaranteed. The abundance of dairy and sugar and long, slow bake time ensure that you will be rewarded with an exceptionally rich and moist cake, a comforting and delicious certainty for these very uncertain times.
Wishing you peace, comfort, and cake – Emily
Fig, walnut, and cardamom coffee cake
Ingredients
- 130g (1 cup) walnuts
- 50g (1/4 cup) brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp cardamom, divided
- ½ cup fig preserves
- 400g (2 cups) granulated sugar
- 226g (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 225g (scant 1 cup) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 335g (2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- fresh or dried figs for decoration
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300F. Generously butter a 9-inch bundt pan, paying close attention to the crevices and middle column.
- Mix walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ½ tsp cardamom in a small bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar with paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until just incorporated, scraping sides of the bowl.
- Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Add gradually to the butter-sour cream mixture on low speed, stopping as soon as the mixture is homogenous; do not overmix.
- Spread 1/3 batter in bundt pan, smooth with a greased spoon. Sprinkle ½ walnut mixture over the batter, then dollop with ½ of the fig preserves. Cover with another 1/3 of the batter, spreading to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining nut mixture, dollop with the remaining ¼ cup fig preserves. End with the last 1/3 of the batter, spreading evenly.
- Bake for 1 hour-1 hour 15 min, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes. Place a wire cooling rack and carefully invert the cake, cool to room temp.
- Place on a serving plate, fill with fresh or dried figs.
This cake will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or frozen up to 3 months. If freezing, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap with a layer of foil or place in an airtight container.
This looks amazing! Great job!