The Farm Report from Turkey Hill

Turmeric Cake

This recipe is adapted from a traditional Lebanese dessert. Its lovely dense texture, gentle turmeric flavor, and subtle sweetness make it just plain perfect for a teatime snack, or you can serve it with whipped cream after dinner.

1 ½ cups semolina flour

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2-inch knob of turmeric, peeled and very finely grated

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 scant cup whole milk

1 stick, plus 1 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 heaping tbsp pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Sift together flours, turmeric and baking powder. There will be lots of turmeric crumbs that don’t want to go through the sifter. Use your fingers to rub as much as you can through the mesh, taking care to brush the turmeric bits off the bottom of the sifter, and then discard the rest. Set mixture aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir milk and sugar together. Add flour mixture and butter and beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. (Really.)

Pour into prepared pan, smooth the top and then sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out dry. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!