Chef of the Week: Labelle Afrilight – Pound Cake Recipe (Nigerian Cake)

A few days ago, Some of our Afrolems fans requested a recipe for Nigerian Cake. You know the one that most shops and bakeries had but never told you the real name of the cake. Well, I am here to let you know that it’s called Pound cake but everybody adjusts their pound cake recipes to fit their taste. Now for people that have followed this blog from the beginning, I have always said I am not a huge baker so when this recipe was requested, I was kind of stumped. Luckily, a very lovely chef which by the way I think her photography is beyond amazing, sent us a recipe for Pound cake. As horrible as I am with baking, I am actually excited to try out this recipe. I may even post a picture if I succeed with it lol. I present to you, Labelle Afrilight’s version of Pound Cake. Oh by the way, check out her blog for interesting recipes.

VANILLA POUND CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 160 g of butter at room temperature

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup of natural yogurt (fat free preferable and removed from fridge at least 30 minutes before using)

• 1 cup of granulated sugar (you can use half cup if you don’t like much sugar)

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 3 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup of milk

• 2 cups of plain flour

• 5 large eggs at room temperature

• 1 small nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon)

PROCEDURES

Step 1: With the aid of a sifter, sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg) into a bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Grease the cake pan and dust with flour. Also pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Step 3: Put the butter, sugar and yogurt into a mixer or bowl {if you are using hand mixer}, mix until fluffy; mix on a high speed.
Step 4: Crack in the eggs, one at a time…mix for about a minute before adding next. Then add the vanilla extract and mix.
Step 5: Add the flour in batches; reduce the speed to the lowest and mixed. Once the flour is combined (doesn’t have to be perfect), and then stop; so you don’t over work the batter.
Step 6: At this point, add the milk and mix with a spatula until combined.
Step 7: Pour batter into the greased cake pan and bake for approximately 50 minutes or until golden brown.

** To check that the cake is probably baked; insert a wooden skewer into the cake, if it comes out clean without any crumbs, then its perfect; if otherwise, please put back into the oven. **
NB: Please do not open the oven while the cake is baking, if you do so it would affect the cake causing it not to rise properly or if its risen it would flat out (I hope this makes sense)…
Step 8: Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 20 minutes before transferring onto your serving tray.
In a small bowl, add 3 tablespoons icing sugar +2 teaspoons of milk, mix together and drizzle on the cake.