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Pomegranate Molasses Butter Cake
![Pomegranate Molasses Butter Cake](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/04/08/dining/Pomegranate-Molasses-Butter-Cake/Pomegranate-Molasses-Butter-Cake-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 1stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
- 1½cups flour, plus more for dusting pan
- 1½teaspoons baking powder
- ½teaspoon salt
- ½cup milk
- 3tablespoons pomegranate molasses, plus 1 teaspoon
- ¾cup granulated sugar, plus 4 teaspoons
- 3large eggs
- 1cup confectioners’ sugar
- 6tablespoons light cream
- ¾cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan, dust lightly with flour and knock out excess.
- Step 2
Sift together 1½ cups flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk and 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses.
- Step 3
In a large bowl, cream together stick of butter and ¾ cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until well combined.
- Step 4
Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk mixture. (Begin and end with flour, and mix after each addition until just combined.)
- Step 5
Pour batter into pan and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn cake out onto a rack, and then turn right side up again.
- Step 6
Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, cream, and 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses. Brush glaze over cake, letting it drip down sides.
- Step 7
In a small, preferably nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, combine nuts, 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses and 4 teaspoons sugar. Stir constantly and watch carefully until sugar melts and coats nuts, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle over top of cake.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
For the molasses I used Alton Brown's recipe, below, and it worked well:
4 C. pomegranate juice
1/2 C. sugar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Place the juices and sugar in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves completely. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook about 70 minutes until there is 1 C. of mixture and it resembles a thick syrup. Remove from heat, cool 30 minutes, and transfer to a glass jar. Cool completely and cover. Keep in the fridge for 6 months.
This is extremely delicious and easy to make. The icing idea is genius, as the tartness of the pom molasses cuts through the sweetness.
Cake was lovely and easy to make without a mixer. Not too sweet.
Instead of the walnuts, I sprinkled it with rose petals and pistachios (leftover from a pilaf). It was the perfect end to a middle eastern inspired feast. Next time, I might top it with a *small* amount of condensed milk based glaze inspired by tres leches cake. Also, infusing the glaze with saffron could amp up the luxurious factor.
Microwaved it for breakfast the next morning and it's even better a little warm.
A fantastic recipe making good use of one of my new favorite ingredients, pomegranate molasses. In my opinion, this stuff retains its tartness through baking better than either lemon or lime juice, and it marries beautifully with the butter cake's richness. I increased the quantity of chopped nuts (pecans) a bit to a full cup, and ended up with a wonderful layer of nut brittle that covered the top of the cake. I'll be making this often.
Delicious, especially nuts. Only comment is that as pictured the glaze is white, but when you add the pomegranate molasses to the confectioner's sugar/cream mixture, it turns a beige color and blends in with the color of the cake. (Food stylist probably liked the contrast of the white glaze with the brown cake and nuts better.)
To make it a bit more summery, I ditched the nuts and instead sprinkled raspberries on top after applying the glaze layer. Very pretty.
I put the cake on a cooling rack with a plate underneath to collect the drips of glaze, then poured it back on after I'd sprinkled over the nuts. The glaze had thickened slightly and the nuts helped to trap it on the cake. Perfect!
I believe that the pomegranate molasses should be increased in each component. 3T in cake, 2T in glaze and 1 T in nuts. The glaze also needed 1/4 t salt and the nuts 1/8 t. Accentuates everything.
We carry it at Kalustyan's in NYC (Lexington and 28/29). You can also order it on line at kalustyans.com
I ordered mine on line some months ago to make a tapenade with walnuts and figs to slide under a chicken skin while roasting. Yum! Then I served the tapenade over goat cheese with water crackers, another favorite. You'll find things to use that pomegranate molasses for, so don't let its potential obscurity dissuade you from the purchase.
One of my favorite cakes and one my favorite Cooking recipes. I've made this cake with a non dairy pound cake recipe as well, adding the pomegranate molasses to the wet ingredients and topping it with the icing and walnuts as detailed here. Either way, great recipe.
I made this cake this morning and carried it still warm and fragrant to my book club brunch. It is beautiful, smells heavenly when warm, and was enjoyed by the group immensely. It's unique, and just right for brunch with friends and a cup of coffee. I wouldn't change a thing in this perfect recipe.
I added a dash of Maldon salt to the nuts while they were cooking; added yet another flavor level to this exotic, easy, killer-good recipe.
This was so amazing. Few changes based on what I had in the pantry-- ran out of flour so made up the last 1/4 cup with almond flour, which worked great. For nuts on top, used a mix of pecans and almonds and added a bit of extra pomegranate molasses and cut down on the sugar. Was delicious while still warm. It's okay the next day, but definitely think this should be eaten immediately after the glaze sets for best texture.
Much too much glaze but that was not a problem; The excess was caught in the pan under the cooling rack, and I spooned it back over the cake. What fell into the pan after that went into a container that I stored in the fridge and then used to moisten the last few pieces the next day. Otherwise, I would have eaten it with a spoon - the glaze was so delicious I have to think of another use for it!
Do I add the glaze on the cake when it's warm or do I wait for it to cool completely?
This cake is superb. Moist, light , subtle flavor. I added 1 tsp vanilla & used oat milk instead of cream. Will add to my favorites from maida heatter, dorie green & claire saffitz
This is yummy. Best served warm. I made the glaze with coconut milk instead of cream (due to a guest's dairy sensitivity), and it was absolutely wonderful. This would be a great brunch cake! Pom Molasses gives a great interesting, out-of-the-ordinary flavor!
This cake was a bit dry, even though I looked holes in it with a toothpick o allow the glaze to soak in. I may need to reduce cooking time. It also didn’t have the flavorful “zing” I was expecting.
Veganized with Earth Balance, almond milk, and Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer. I haven’t tried it as written so I’m not sure how it compares, but the results taste delicious!
Delicious! New Rosh Hashanah favorite.
Exceptional! I was nervous reading the negative comments but there ended up being nothing to worry about! I added extra pom molasses to both cake and glaze- the flavor was like lemon but amped way up. Cake was incredibly moist and tender. I thinned the glaze with rose water and not cream as suggested. Lovely! I also topped with pistachios instead of walnuts and rose petals to make it extra sophisticated. It was by far the most elegant and eaten dessert at the Rosh Hashanah table!
I've had a big bottle of pomegranate molasses in my pantry for a long time and have been looking for new ways to use it. This is my first time having it in something sweet and it works really well. It adds a great tartness to this simple cake, like lemon or orange but more interesting. I loved those crunchy nuts on top (might add more next time.)
Delicious and well received last night for Rosh Hashanah dinner. Substituted pomegranate seeds for the nuts as one of my sons doesn’t eat nuts — worked really well. A sweet way to start the new year.
Delicious cake, very moist and surprisng. But did doubled the doses of molasse for the topping and added little red food coloring for the kids. Thanks for sharing this one!
Yum! This was very easy to put together and tastes great. I baked it in a bundt pan and it came out nicely. I did add an additional tablespoon of pom molasses to the cake and the glaze. I think next time i might add even more!
This dessert was a hit after a long week. The cake was beautiful and moist. Pomegranate molasses is plentiful here in the Middle East - I added a tablespoon more to each element. Delicious flavour throughout.
This is part of my regular rotation, especially when I make Middle Eastern food. I make it in a 9" pan and increase the walnuts to 1 cup, increase the pomegranate molasses on the nuts to 1 Tbl, add a pinch of sea salt. Incredibly good. Very tangy and unusual. Also, Syrians serve the smallest drizzle of pomegranate molasses over hummus. Delicious.
I’ve had a jar of pomegranate molasses in my fridge for 10 years so I was excited when I saw this. Preparation was quick and easy and everyone loved the results. I skipped the toppings since I’m not into sugary icings. Opted for whipped cream with a touch of the pom molasses and maple syrup. Very nice. Cake was a little dry the next day but good with a cup of tea. I loved the complexity of flavors from just one source. If you don’t like the taste of pom molasses, then don’t make this cake.
I used 2 round cake pans and used a lemon curd for filler. Yum
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