CAKES - NEWARK CAKE

Makes a 10-inch Bundt cake or 16 servings

4 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon almond extract

Confectioners’ sugar for finishing

One 12-cup tube or Bundt pan, buttered and floured

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325F.

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add the butter and beat on the lowest speed for about 2 minutes, or until the ingredients are well combined.

Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining batter ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Increase the mixer speed to medium and add one-third of the liquid ingredients.  Beat for 2 minutes, then stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater.  Add another third of the liquid, beat for 2 more minutes, and scrape.  Finally, add the remaining liquid and beat and scrape as before.

Use a large rubber spatula to give the batter a final vigorous stir, then scrape it into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake halfway between the side of the pan and the central tube emerges clean. 

Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack to finish cooling.  Just before serving, dust the cake generously with confectioners’ sugar.

STORAGE: Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and then foil to ensure it doesn’t dry out, and serve within a few days.  For longer storage, wrap and freeze.  Defrost loosely covered at room temperature. 

From Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri.