I think it happened two months after I got married. It was around around 7 -7.30 in the morning. I was having a dream. In the dream I was standing behind a podium and giving a talk about women empowerment.
Suddenly I felt that somebody shaking me and in the background I could hear the words “chaya edukku, chaya edukku” (get tea). I slowly woke up and realised that it was Jose asking me to get his morning tea. I was really pissed off!
Before going to the rest of it, let me tell you something. I hate making tea in the mornings. I always like it when somebody else makes it for me, I dont mind doing the rest of the breakfast (well, for most of the time) except for the tea part.
Ok, now coming back to our dream. He kept asking me for tea and then there was an explosion! I told him I wont make tea and that my life isnt about making tea. It’s about doing great things, not worrying about tea and breakfast and lunch and laundry etc etc; Well, for starters he was shocked! But he regained his cool and asked me to calm down. Remember this is the first thing happening in the morning.
He said he would make tea for both of us and he told me not to do any household chores for the day. Then he asked me the million dollar question that he always asks me “what do you want to do”. My answer to that question remains the same to date. “I want to do something… something interesting, but I dont know what it is”. Sounds familiar??
Then he just held my hands and asked me to go with him to the kitchen, just to hang around while he made tea. I got tipped off again..just the thought of red saucepan in which I make tea, makes me angry. Anyways, he dragged me to the kitchen. Once we were there he got hold of the saucepan and gave it to me. I was about to start my next episode when he asked me to bang the saucepan on the counter.
I was surprised and confused! He looked at me and said “I know you want to hit it hard, just do it”. I actually wanted to do that but since it was kinda new I couldnt do it and I told him the same. He was like… after all it’s a saucepan, dont worry we will get a new one, just hit it hard.. and then there was no stopping me! For the first time that morning there was a smile on my face ;)
So it’s been 9 years since the whole thing happened and here we are running a food blog together :) Though I’ve toned down my theatrical skills a bit, my drama series airs an “episode” every now n then and luckily the audience is still there with the same enthusiasm and excitement as day one! It was our anniversary last Thursday (Jan 16th) and I was wondering what to make. I wanted to make something exciting, since for the past few months I’ve been getting hints that I’m not making anything exciting anymore… The search for an exciting cake took me here.
I’ve been eyeing that recipe for quite sometime, but was waiting for a special occasion. Finally I got around to make it. I kept messaging Swapna and asking her some silly questions. She was so kind and patient with me and answered all my queries. Thank you so much dear!
As Swapna said, it’s a magical cake and the magic happens during the baking! Somehow I wasnt worried about the switching part (you will understand once you read the recipe), I was more concerned whether it will come out of the pan in perfect shape! So the first thing I did on the morning of our anniversary was getting the cake outside of the baking tin. Since I was too worried that it will stick to the pan, I got Jose to do it. Luckily, it came out perfect!
This cake definitely is a show stopper! Then it has got two different layers one cake layer and one pudding kinda layer. If you ask me there is no reason why you shouldnt love this cake. I actually loved the flan part more, just go through the ingredients and you will know why ;) This is ideal if you are entertaining a large group of people and if you want to make a “wow” impression.
Here you go with the step by step pics…
Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg…
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa in a medium bowl. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix…
Add 1/2 of the buttermilk into the egg mixture. Repeat the process ending with the flour mixture. Blend until well incorporated…
Coat a Bundt pan with a little butter, then coat the bottom with 1/4 cup dulce de leche. Scoop the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spreading evenly…
In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg powder and dulce de leche. Blend on high for 30 seconds…
Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Cover with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan. Carefully slide the pan into the oven, and bake 1 to 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the surface of the cake is firm to the touch, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean…
- 12-cup capacity Bundt pan
- Softened butter, to coat pan
- Dulce de Leche / caramel sauce / Cajeta (homemade or store bought) – ¼ cup
- For the cake:
- Unsalted butter – 10 tablespoons @ room temperature
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Egg – 1 @ room temperature
- All-purpose flour (maida) – 1¾ cups
- Baking powder – ¾ teaspoon
- Baking soda – ¾ teaspoon
- Cocoa powder – ⅓ cup
- Buttermilk – 1¼ cups @ room temperature
- For the flan:
- Evaporated milk – 1 (12-ounce) can
- Sweetened condensed milk – 1 (14-ounce) can
- Cream cheese – 4 ounces room temperature
- Eggs – 3
- Vanilla extract – 1 tablespoon ( I used Vanilla essence)
- Nutmeg powder – ½ tsp
- Dulce de Leche – 2 tsp
- For garnish:
- Dulce de leche or caramel sauce – ¼ cup
- Put an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F / 180°C.
- Coat a Bundt pan with a little butter, then coat the bottom with ¼ cup dulce de leche and put it in a large roasting pan. (The roasting pan will serve as a water bath during baking.)
- For the cake
- Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa in a medium bowl. Beat ⅓ of the flour mixture, and ½ of the buttermilk into the egg mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Blend until well incorporated.
- For the flan
- In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg powder and dulce de leche. Blend on high for 30 seconds.
- Scoop the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spreading evenly. Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Cover with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan.
- Carefully slide the pan into the oven, and bake 1 to 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the surface of the cake is firm to the touch, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When cake is done, remove from the water bath and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Cool completely then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Place bottom third of Bundt pan in bowl of hot tap water for 1 minute. Invert a large, rimmed serving platter over the Bundt pan, grasp tightly together, giggle a little and flip over. Remove the pan and scrape any remaining dulce de leche from the pan onto the cake. Serve with extra caramel sauce drizzled over the top.
I mixed dulce de leche with some cold milk to loosen it a bit and used it as sauce. You can serve it hot or cold. We liked it slightly hot. I microwaved each slice with sauce drizzled on top of it for 20-25 seconds. If you are having it cold, better keep it at room temp for 10-20 mins before serving.
I stored it in fridge in an airtight container for 3 days.
Be careful while you invert the cake. Run a knife around the cake tin and make sure the cake is loosened around the edges and in the middle also.
I checked with Swapna, whether we can bake it in a regular pan instead of Bundt pan. She said it should work, but it may not be visually appealing as a Bundt cake, also the baking time might be a bit longer.