Irish Tea Cake

Since its St. Patrick's feast today, I made something special to do with the Irish specialty.
St. Paddy's day being a cultural and religious festival on the death anniversary of Saint Patrick - the foremost patron Saint of Ireland.

A shamrock shake was what I intended to make initially, as its what is special during this day, available in many of the stores like the McDonald's, but then I thought to try it from the store itself today :)
Have to make hubby read this before we go out in the evening ;)

Can't wait to try it....
Hope I will  :(

Shamrock is a young sprig of Clover, which is used as a symbol of Ireland

I don't think this Clover leaf has anything to do with this Shake other than the green color, 

but Mint leaves are often included.

Anyways I made this Irish Tea Cake and I must write that its a must try Tea cake recipe, 

it came out super tasty and moist, like a modified Cheese Cake or else may call it an offspring of a cake & Cheese cake when married ;) 

 I know I am crazy :D 

Adapted from www.recipetips.com 

Ingredients 

All Purpose flour - 1 and 3/4 cup 

Baking Powder - 1 and 1/4 tsp 

Salt - 1/4 tsp 

Butter (in room temperature) - 3/4 cup 

Sugar - 1 cup 

Eggs - 2 

Vanilla essence - 2 tsp 

Buttermilk - 1/4 cup 

Raisins  - 1/2 cup to 1 cup (as per your preference) 

Cream Cheese (In room temperature) - little less than 1/2 a cup 

Powdered sugar & Berries to decorate - (Optional) 

Method 

* Preheat the oven to 350 Degree F. Line a 9 inch round baking dish with a foil or parchment paper, grease the same with butter or use a non stick spray and keep aside. 

(Its better to line the dish with a parchment paper as this cake is super moist and soft hence tend to stick to the bottom) 

* Sift together flour + Baking powder + salt. Take 1/4 cup of this sifted flour and mix it with the Raisins to completely coat them. keep both the sifted flour mixture and Flour - Raisin mixture aside. 

* In a bowl beat butter and sugar till softened, add in eggs one at a time, beat till well combined and looks light yellow in color. 

* Add vanilla essence & cream cheese, continue beating till well blended, then add in, the sifted flour mixture & Buttermilk alternately, until all'em are mixed in. Use then a spatula to combine.

* Sprinkle the Raisin + Flour mixture to the batter and slowly mix the batter using the spatula. 

* Pour this to the prepared baking dish and bake in 350 preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean & the sides starts to look lightly brown. 

* Allow to cool and sprinkle powdered sugar on top, decorate with berries (optional) and serve. 

Happy that I could click before everything fell, as this piece of cake was too soft to hold that strawberry.

:D 

Notes :

            

          * It is good to line the baking dish with a parchment paper or foil then grease it with butter or         non stick spray as it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan, this cake being extra soft and moist. 

          * May reduce the baking temperature to 325 Degree F and bake it for a longer period 

( 1 hour - 1 and 1/2 hour's ) as given in the original recipe. 

Click the following link for a similar Sponge cake recipe in this blog 

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

                                

Cheers

TN