Episode 172: Chocolate Chai Kefir Cake

We’ve heard  you, Listeners, and know you’re counting on us to keep the baking conversation going strong, even in uncertain times. So that’s what we intend to do. In addition to our weekly episodes, check out the new resource on our website Quarantine Baking for answers to some of our most-received questions about substitutions, ingredients, and relevant recipes.

Stefin and Andrea were blown away by the recent virtual Preheated Bake Along spearheaded by Listeners Jesse and Rebecca in late March. From cranberry banana bread to “ugly cake,” with stops in Florida for strawberry jalapeño jam, fennel crackers in London, and first-time croissants, our worldwide Listeners had a great time sharing their original bakes.

Though this is the first official month devoted to desserts made with tangy dairy, the Preheated hosts have been baking with buttermilk, sour cream, cream cheese and crème fraîche since Episode 1, including the oft-mentioned Pumpkin Buttermilk Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream, Sugar Cookie Bars, and Prince Harry’s Favorite Caramel Banana Cake, to name just a few.

A Cautionary Tale: Chocolate Chai Kefir Cake

Despite having a lot of experience with adding other dairy to baked goods, the duo had never baked with the milk kefir featured in the Chocolate Chai Kefir Cake from Olive magazine. Sadly, though both are fans of warming chai spices, as well as chocolate cake, they felt the flavor combo did not work. Though beautiful and easy, Andrea will continue to enjoy her chai spices in lattes and other non-chocolate bakes, and Stefin will continue to enjoy her favorite Award Winning Moist Chocolate Cake from Episode 61.5.

This Week’s Bake Along: Lemon Sour Cream Pie from Tastes Better from Scratch

Hopefully, this week’s bake along, the Lemon Sour Cream Pie from Lauren at Tastes Better from Scratch will be a cheerful delight, just like the Pumpkin Cookie with Caramel Frosting from the same blog back in Episode 97.5. This bake will test your hosts’ blind baking skills and use up some of Andrea’s frozen lemon juice stash. (Listen back to Episode 62 for more blind baking tips, and check out Sally’s Baking Addiction’s method using pastry strips.) The duo both plan to do a meringue topping to use up the three egg whites left after the yolks go into the filling.

Andrea will be baking in honor of her dear mother Betty, whose specialty was lemon meringue pie, and who sadly passed away due to complications from cancer in late March.

Make it Yourself: Buttermilk, Sour Cream and Crème Fraîche

Finally, in an ongoing feature on how to make some of this month’s featured dairy ingredients in your own kitchen, the duo describe making homemade crème fraîche, buttermilk and sour cream. 

Previously on Preheated …

Three Years Ago: Episode 23: Sweet and Spicy Breakfast Faves

Two Years Ago: Episode 72: Tapioca Pearls Uncovered in London!

One Year Ago: Episode 120: Seed Cake Transcends the Centuries

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