Hello guys, today I share with you one of my favorite cake recipes. Moreover, it is a family recipe which I got from my mum, who used to prepare the cake for me and my sister when we lived all together. I wrote down the recipe in my old notebook and used it quite often ever since. Mum usually makes it “zebra cake”: half chocolate and half vanilla-flavored, or just vanilla with raisins. As you can see, the recipe is very versatile. You can make it all-the-time favorite vanilla, add currants or dry cranberries, add any fruits you have on hand. The cake was cooked so many times, that believe me even very beginner in baking can handle it. It is the lifesaver cake – the recipe I always turn to if I need the tried&tasted cake when you need the trusted cake recipe that always turns nice and delicious.
Below you can find the basic recipe, and adopted one like on the photos. I topped the cake with fresh sliced pears and some frozen blackberries, plus used brown sugar instead of white for more brownish color and caramel taste.
Also, I’d love to welcome everyone to the virtual party – Fiesta Friday, that I’m co-hosting today, where bloggers join together and “bring” delicious food, share beautiful photos, chat and having fun with each other (to join click here, where you find ‘linkup’). I haven’t participated a long time and really miss these parties, and can’t wait to see what other bloggers will bring!
Family Cake: Basic recipe
What You’ll Need
125g butter, at room temperature
125g white sugar
2 eggs
a pinch of salt
vanilla
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder or 1/2 tsp baking soda, dissolved in lemon juice
50ml milk
How to Make It
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Preheat oven to 180C.
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Whisk the butter with sugar until pale (just a bit, do not over whisk).
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Beat in eggs one by one until just incorporated along with salt and vanilla.
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Sift the flour along with the baking powder.
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Mix in milk.
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Pour the batter into greased (and lined if needed) baking tin.
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Bake for 1 hour.
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Allow to cool slightly in the pan and then carefully transfer to the serving plate.
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Serve warm with a cup of freshly brewed tea.
Enjoy!
Pears&blackberries cardamom cake
What You’ll Need
120g butter, at room temperature
80g brown sugar
2 eggs
a pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 whole cardamoms, used only crushed seeds
240g plain flour*
2 tsp baking powder*
*or 240g self-raising flour
50ml milk
3-4 pears, sliced
lemon juice
some frozen blackberries
1-2 tbsp demerara sugar
few hazelnuts, chopped, optional
How to Make It
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Preheat oven to 180C.
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Whisk the butter with sugar until pale (just a bit, do not overwhisk).
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Beat in eggs one by one until just incorporated along with spices.
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Sift the flour along with baking powder.
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Mix in milk.
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Pour the batter into greased (and lined if needed) baking tin.
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Slice pears, drizzle with lemon juice. Arrange slices on the top, slightly push into the batter. Scatter over frozen blueberries. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and nuts, if desired.
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Bake for 1 hour.
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Allow to cool slightly in the pan and then carefully transfer to the serving plate.
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Serve warm with a cup of freshly brewed tea.
Enjoy!
milkandbun 
Looks delicious!
Hello, Darlene. I love this simple cake. What about you – do you have any fav family recipes?
Well, thank you so much for sharing your mom’s cake recipe. Heirloom recipes are such a treasure! Thanks for cohosting, Mila! 😘
My pleasure, Angie! Glad to help you almost anytime now 😁
How about December? Any good week for you then? Let me know, I’m trying to fill in the December schedule.
Hi Angie. First two Fridays of December is ok, if still needed 🙂
That’s great! I’m putting you down for December 7, and your cohost will be Judi@cookingwithauntjuju.com. Thanks so much!!
That’s great! You are always welcome!
Beautiful photos! I love a cake topped with fruit!
Hi Kat! Thanks for stopping by 🙂 I love fruits too, the more is better
The cake looks spectacular..Family recipes are always perfect
Hello Lathiya! Glad to see you on my blog, nice to hear that you like the cake. What’s your fav family recipe?
The cake looks Fab..Family recipes are perfect
Pear and cardamoms make a fabulous pairing, I imagine this cake is delicious!
Hi Monika. Yes, a touch of this lovely Middle Eastern spice made the Russian cake incredibly tasty! 🙂
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Hello, Mila. I haven’t seen you in a long time. 😀 Glad that you are back here at Fiesta Friday! This cake looks gorgeous! I love the addition of cardamom – yum! x
Hi Jhuls! So little time now, but I’m trying to keep it up 🙂
The pear and blackberry cake looks stunning
Thanks, Kat 🙂
Family recipes are always the best because you know how good they are. Moms, aunts, etc. know how to cook/bake. Thought I might see your cauliflower soup with shrimps 🙂
Hello! Actually, the soup was very simple: pureed one, and I prepared shrimps separately but marinated them in aromatic spices, so when I mixed altogether – the taste was out of my mind, I swear! 😀 or maybe I was very hungry. I already thought that I have to post the recipe, but it always takes time… If you wish I can send you the email what spices I have used, and the recipe. 🙂
This is a beautiful cake and looks delicious! 🙂
Thanks so much, Nancy! You have nice-looking cakes on the blog too 🙂
Great recipe and I’m surprised the ingredients are so simple!
Hi Laura, nice to see you here! Simple things are often the best 😀
Such a lovely and versatile cake Mila and I love your pears & blackberries cardamom cake take on it too, sounds really delicious! 🙂 We all need simple cake recipe which we can trust to deliver time and time again! 🙂
Hi, nice to see you here 🙂 Absolutely agree with you. Do you have any such recipes/dishes, that you cook quite often? not necessary sweet
Your family cake looks so lovely, rustic and homey. I especially like the pear and hazelnut version. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Lily! I love fruits and berries in cakes (more than plain vanilla or chocolate), and most of the time when I make it – I add sliced apples, pears, nectarines.. 😀
It’s a beautiful cake and just right for this time of year! I love pears but I do remember the first time I had cardamom in a cake – I was young and nothing led me to expect what that experience would taste like! Great combination of flavors!
Thanks for co-hosting at Fiesta Friday!!
Mollie
Looks great! I’m glad you’re co-hosting at FF!
Looks absolutely delicious! And a perfect recipe for my budding bakers here at home 😊
Hi there! Yeah, little ones would love to join and make this cake, and then.. nomnom