What is Ogaily Cake
Ogaily is a soft sponge cake characterized by the cardamom taste. Ogaily is mostly called Gerz Ogaily. While saffron is normally part of the repertoire of ingredients, I deleted saffron in this recipe. Slightly different but similarly nice.
Origin of Ogaily Cake
Ogaily cake originated in Kuwait, however, is known to and baked and served almost everywhere in the Middle East. It is often served during the month of Ramadan for breakfast (fatoor) along with coffee or tea after the main meal in breaking the fast. It is also nice as an afternoon snack any time of the year or as dessert after a nice dinner.
Ingredients of Ogaily Cake
The ingredients of Ogaily are minimal. When making Ogaily comes to mind, I imagine all-purpose flour, eggs, milk, and sugar. For anyone who bakes, though, the rest are usual: baking powder, salt, and oil. With this lineup of ingredients, Ogaily is a very easy possibility.
The very authentic Ogaily would have, as I already mentioned, saffron as one of its ingredients. Sometimes, sesame seeds or black seeds are added for additional character.
I tried to keep it as simple as how I initially tried it at my sister-in-law’s. That is also how I got the four basic ingredients of flour, eggs, milk, and sugar, as this is what she said when I asked for the recipe. “Oh, it is easy, you only need four ingredients!” Ha ha!
How to serve Ogaily and how to keep leftovers
Ogaily is best served with coffee or tea. It is also best served at room temperature. A few baked items, like this banana cake and date bread, can be served immediately and it’s fine. Ogaily, on the other hand, is at its best when called down before taking it from the pan, and served at room temperature.
Leftover Ogaily cakes can be kept for a couple of days in the cake dome or can be refrigerated in a tightly-sealed container to last for close to 10 days.
Ogaily – Cardamom Cake from Kuwait
Description
Ogaily is a soft sponge cake with the aroma and taste of cardamom and is perfect with tea or coffee.
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil or shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla pure extract
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a bundt cake pan and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Beat sugar and oil for about a minute, then add eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. Continue beating until the mixture becomes foamy.
- Slowly add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture while continuing to beat; then add milk followed by the other half of the flour mixture ensuring smooth consistency.
- Add cardamom powder and beat for about 10 seconds.
- Pour onto the greased cake pan and bake for close to 60 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
