Passover Vanilla Cake

I had a hard time finding the Passover cake I liked from last year and kind of panicked.  I bought a poundcake to have at Seder, but wasn't sure if I would have cake for the rest of the week.  So when I went to make my own birthday cake, I thought I would come up with a recipe.  If it didn't work, at least it was only a 6" and I could make another.

The prohibition against leavened food at Passover is only for gluten leavened by yeast.  Non-gluten flour leavened by KLP baking powder is just fine.  And what makes the baking powder ok to use is that the anti-caking agent is potato starch instead of cornstarch.  I don't make the rules, I just exploit them.

Similarly, you can't use commercial extracts during Passover because the alcohol used in them is grain based.  I make my own KLP extracts with potato vodka, so I can use them.  For those who don't think six months ahead, I'm making vanilla sugar here.  That only takes two days.  You can also buy it, especially at kosher markets.

So I did find my cake at a kosher market sort of on my way home, and only a couple of blocks from where Techie Smurf once lived.  It's small, but organized, and not the huge detour some of the other markets are.  I only got a few specialty items and racked up a $40 bill.  The ladies ahead of me in line must not have been local, because they spent over $1,000.  If I ever did go truly kosher, which I'll be the first to admit is not likely, I would certainly shop there on a regular basis.

This recipe is simply a kosher for Passover version of my basic vanilla cake, first seen on this blog as a walnut cake.  I didn't mix anything into it, but you can certainly flavor it with any nuts, chips, or coconut you choose.

3/4 C neutral oil (can sub in 1/4 C applesauce for part of it)
3/4 C sugar
*1 vanilla bean
3 eggs, room temperature
*3/4 C buttermilk or almond milk
*1/2 tsp KLP vanilla (optional)
3/4 C potato starch
*3/4 C matzoh cake meal
2 Tb Passover baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 C mix-ins, optional

1.  A few days before, split the vanilla bean and place in a sealable container with the sugar.  Shake daily.  When ready to make the cake, remove the bean.

2.  Spray an 8" cake pan with pan spray.  Line the bottom with parchment or wax paper and spray again.  Preheat oven to 350º.  If using baking strips, start soaking (I forgot).

3.  In mixer, beat oil and sugar until combined.  Add eggs and beat until pale and fluffy.  Add milk and vanilla, if using.

4.  Add potato starch, matzoh meal, baking powder, and salt.  Beat until a whipped, uniform batter is formed, about 2 minutes.  Stir in nuts or chips.

5.  Pour batter into prepared pan, cover with the wet baking strip, and bake until cake passes the toothpick test, about 30 minutes.  If you don't use a baking strip, the cake will dome and crack a bit.  Still wait until the toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to rest in pan 10 minutes, then turn out to cool completely.

6.  Most frostings are not used on Passover because they contain powdered sugar.  You can top this with Swiss buttercream, which uses granulated sugar, or a chocolate ganache.  The ganache is easier to make pareve if you're having it with a meat meal.

Makes one cake, 8-10 servings

Difficulty rating  :)