The name "pound cake" got its name from the fact that it contained a pound of each of its basic ingredients: butter, sugar, flour and eggs. And no leavening was added. The average pound cake these days tends to be a bit more refined, using some sort of leavening agent in addition to eggs and often incorporating additional ingredients, such as vanilla, sour cream, heavy cream or even chocolate. The pound cake, needless to say, is not a low fat food. It is dense, tender, buttery and something that is best eaten in small portions if you are watching what you eat. Of course, pound cake tastes so good that it can be hard to stop with just one slice.
Old-school pound cakes came with their own easily-remembered formula (a pound of butter to a pound of sugar, eggs and flour) with leavening only coming from the air one whips into the batter. But just because it’s the classic way to do it, doesn’t mean that it can keep cakes lovers from exploring creativity. After all, these cakes are not meant to be just the foamy bricks. You can swap out some of the butter for cream cheese, you can add loads of lemon, baking powder, baking soda and buttermilk, you can apply smart cake-baking techniques to improve on the predictable, traditional does have to be boring, you can put some twists to the delight of our sweet palates.
Historical Insights. Here is a chronology of events according to whatscookingamerica.net: 1700's - The "Pound Cake" is a British creation that dates back to the early 1700s. 1796 - In the 1796 cookbook "American Cookery" (or "The Art of Dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, and the Best Modes of Making Puff-pastes, Pies, Tarts, Puddings, Custards and Preserves, and all kinds of Cakes, from the Imperial Plumb to Plain Cake" by Amelia Simmons, she included two recipes of the pound cake. This was the first cookbook authored by an American and published in the United States. 1800's - By the mid 1800's pound cake recipes began to deviate slightly from the original formula to make a lighter cake. 1900's - Artificial leaveners (baking powder/soda) were added. Today, pound cakes use different proportions of the same ingredients as the original formula to produce a lighter cake.
OLD-FASHIONED POUND CAKE
[Minums.com]
Ingredients:
2 3/4 c (375g) Cake Flour
2 1/4 tsp (11g) Baking Powder
1 1/8 c (265g) Butter, soft
1 1/3 c (265g) Sugar
1/2 tsp (3.5g) Salt
8 1/2 (425g) Eggs
Method:
1. Grease two 9x5 loaf pan. Preheat ovens at 350F.
2. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
3. Cream butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed with the paddle attachment, scraping down the bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth and light in color.
4. Add in eggs one at a time. Mix until well combined.
5. Add the sifted dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until just blended.
6. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool the cakes in the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
CLASSIC POUND CAKE
[Cooks Illustrated January 2007, CrumblyCookie.net]
Ingredients:
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), cold, plus extra for greasing pan
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¾ cups cake flour (7 ounces), plus extra for dusting pan
½ teaspoon table salt
1¼ cups sugar (8 3/4 ounces)
Steps:
1. Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces and place in bowl of standing mixer; let stand at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes to soften slightly (butter should reach no more than 60 degrees). Using dinner fork, beat eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in liquid measuring cup until combined. Let egg mixture stand at room temperature until ready to use.
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter 9 by 5-inch loaf pan; dust pan liberally with flour and knock out excess.
3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and salt at medium-high speed until shiny, smooth, and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to medium; with mixer running, gradually pour in sugar (this should take about 60 seconds). Once all sugar is added, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is fluffy and almost white in color, 5 to 8 minutes, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once. With mixer running at medium speed, gradually add egg mixture in slow, steady stream; this should take 60 to 90 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl; beat mixture at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes (mixture may look slightly broken). Remove bowl from mixer; scrape bottom and sides.
4. In 3 additions, sift flour over butter/egg mixture; after each addition, fold gently with rubber spatula until combined. Scrape along bottom of bowl to ensure that batter is homogenous.
5. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until golden brown and wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 70 to 80 minutes. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes; invert cake onto wire rack, then turn cake right side up. Cool cake on rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Slice and serve.
Note: As directed in the recipe, the butter and eggs should be the first ingredients prepared so they have a chance to stand at room temperature and lose their chill while the oven heats, the loaf pan is greased and floured, and the other ingredients are measured. Leftover cake will keep reasonably well for up to 3 days if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature. Add baking powder with the flour! ½ to ¾ teaspoon of it. I also added the seeds of one Tahitian vanilla bean with the eggs and vanilla extract.
CLASSIC POUND CAKE
[MarthaStewart.com]
Ingredients:
1 pound (3 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon coarse salt
4 sticks softened unsalted butter, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
9 large, room-temperature eggs
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans. Combine all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, for 8 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla extract.
3. Lightly beat eggs, and add to mixer bowl in 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each and scraping down sides. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing until just incorporated. Divide batter between pans. Tap on counter to distribute; smooth tops.
4. Bake until a tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.
POUND CAKE LOAF
[FABUhighway.com]
Ingredients:
5 eggs, separated
8 ounces butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons bourbon or rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Preparation:
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325°. Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.In medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy; set aside.
2. In mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Reduce speed and add the flour, a little at a time, alternating with egg yolks, blending well after each addition.
3. Beat in the remaining ingredients; mix until the batter is smooth.
4. Finish beating egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula, fold the beaten egg whites gently but thoroughly into the batter.
5. Gently pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the cake for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
6. This cake is great topped with fruit or ice cream but be sure to wait a few days before you eat it to achieve the most FABU taste!
POUND CAKE
[Adapted from Jame Beard, Beard on Food, New York Times]
[thibeaultstable.com]
Ingredients:
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
salt
8 large eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons Cognac
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest.
Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a tube pan. Sift the flour onto waxed paper and then spoon it gently back into the sifter, adding the baking powder and a good pinch of salt. Sift the mixture twice more, each time spooning it lightly into the sifter.
2. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks and then gradually beat in 1 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Fit the electric mixer with a paddle attachment and cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored and then add the Cognac and zest.
4. Gradually fold the sifted flour mixture into the butter-egg mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites just until the batter is smooth. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until a toothpick pierced in the center comes up clean. Makes 1 cake.
Note: I made a glaze from the juice of one lemon and icing sugar (Powdered sugar) and drizzled it over the still warm cakes.
LEMON-GLAZED LEMON LOAF WITH RUM
[thibeaultstable.com, Toronto Star Early 1980's]
Ingredients:
4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups melted butter
1 1/2 cups milk
Grated zest of a lemon
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups cup sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup rum
1 tablespoon real vanilla
Note: This cake is also nice with the addition of poppyseeds.
For the Lemon Glaze
4 tablespoons icing sugar (powdered)
2 tablespoons rum
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Light grease 2 large loaf pans or a combination of large and mini.
2. Into large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In separate bowl, blend butter, eggs, milk, rum, lemon zest and vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients all at once into dry ingredients.
Blend just until moistened. Turn into prepared pans and tap pan to smooth out mixture.
3. Bake 60 to 65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Let cool slightly in pan, and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool. Poke top in several places with a toothpick and brush with lemon glaze while still warm.
For the Glaze:
Blend ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
DOUBLE LEMON POUND CAKE
[DinnerWithJulie.com]
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cup sugar
finely grated zest of a lemon
5 large eggs
juice of a lemon
3/4 cup milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 sweet preserved lemon wedges (about 1 lemon), finely chopped (optional – fresh or frozen berries would also be great)
Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, sugar and lemon zest for 2-3 minutes, until pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
3. Stir the lemon juice into the milk and set aside for a few minutes to thicken. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Add about a third of the flour mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. 5. Add half the milk in the same manner, then another third of the flour, the rest of the milk and the rest of the flour. Stir in the chopped lemon.
6. Divide the batter between two 8”x4” loaf pans that have been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden and tops are springy to the touch. Let cool for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 2 loaf cakes.
7. If you like, brush still-warm pound cakes with a glaze made with equal amounts lemon juice and sugar, simmered until the sugar dissolves, or pour a little of the syrup from your preserves jar and use it to brush overtop.
LIGHTER, AIRY POUND CAKE
[Adapted from James Beard’s Beard on Food]
The brilliance of this pound cake is all of the things that have been done to make it airier than a standard pound cake: the repeated sifting, the whipped egg whites and a little extra help from baking powder. Oh, and the cognac-lemon combination? Delightful. You’ve got to try it.
The original recipe is double this size, and can be baked in a buttered and floured tube or bundt pan; it should bake for about an hour. I added the weights of most of the ingredients, something I am trying to remember to do more often. Makes one loaf.
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
1/2 pound (2 sticks or 8 ounces or 226 grams) butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder
salt
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (186 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon Cognac [brandy works as well, as does rum, as would one teaspoon of an extract of your choice]
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest.
Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a loaf pan. Sift the flour onto waxed paper and then spoon it gently back into the sifter, adding the baking powder and a good pinch of salt. Sift the mixture twice more, each time spooning it lightly into the sifter. [I know what you must be thinking: Beard expect me to sift my dry ingredients three times? But oh, it lends to the most delicate, light crumb and texture. Don't skimp!]
2. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks and then gradually beat in 1/2 cup (100 grams) of the sugar, two tablespoons at a time. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Fit the electric mixer with a paddle attachment and cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the remaining six tablespoons (86 grams) of sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored and then add the Cognac and zest.
4. Gradually fold the sifted flour mixture into the butter-egg mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites just until the batter is smooth. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick pierced in the center comes up clean. Cool in pan ten minutes on a rack, then cool the rest of the way out of the pan.
EGGNOG POUND CAKE WITH CRYSTAL GLAZE
[slowlikehoney.net, Baking for All Occasions:A Treasury of Recipes for Everyday Celebrations, Flo Baker]
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried currants
2 tbsp. dark rum or water
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
8 oz. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (14 ounces) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup
(8 fluid ounces) store-bought refrigerated (rather than canned) eggnog
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the crystal rum glaze:
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
2 tbsp. dark rum
2 tbsp. water
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine the currants and rum and set aside to macerate for 15 minutes. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) or 325°F (160°C) if the pan has a dark finish). Butter a 10-by-3-inch Bundt pan, lightly coat it with nonstick spray, then flour it, tapping out the excess flour. Or, butter and flour a 10-by-4 1/4-inch tube pan with or without a removable bottom. If the pan has an intricate design or detail, I take extra precaution, spreading it first with solid vegetable shortening, followed by a coating of nonstick spray, and then a dusting of flour to ensure the finished cake releases in one piece. Have all of the ingredients at room temperature.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-low speed until creamy and smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sugar in a steady stream and continue to beat on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. With the mixer still on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated and stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. On the lowest speed, add the flour mixture in four additions alternately with the eggnog in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing after each addition until incorporated. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla during the final moments of mixing.
4. Detach the paddle and bowl from the mixer, and tap the paddle against the side of the bowl to free the excess batter. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the currants and any remaining rum. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with the spatula.
5. Bake the cake just until the top springs back when lightly touched in the center and the sides are beginning to come away from the pan, 55 to 65 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes while you prepare the glaze.
Make the crystal rum glaze:
1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, rum, and water and stir with a rubber spatula just until blended.
2. Without delay, tilt and rotate the cake pan while gently tapping it on a counter to release the cake sides. Invert a wire rack on top of the cake, invert the cake onto it, and carefully lift off the pan. Slide a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch any drips from the glaze. Using a pastry brush, coat the top and sides of the warm cake with all of the glaze. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
3. To serve, slide the base of a tart pan, a small rimless baking sheet, or a large offset spatula under the cake and carefully transfer it to a serving platter. Cut the cake into thin slices with a sharp or serrated knife.
CREAM CHEESE AND WILD BLUEBERRY POUND CAKE
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup wild blueberries
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Spray a loaf pan that's about 8x5x3 inches with a nonstick coating. Combine together the flour, baking power, and salt until well blended.
3. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until pale. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat well until slightly fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl well. Add the eggs one at a time beating well until blended. With the mixer on low, add the flour, vanilla and lemon zest and mix well. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Transfer the batter into the loaf pan and bake until the cake is golden brown, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake, about an hour.
5. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes and then invert the pan on a cake rack and tap to release cake. Cool completely on a rack before serving.
MINI BLUEBERRY-MEYER LEMON POUND CAKES
[PeanutbutterandJulie.typepad.com]
Makes 6 mini loaves
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest
4 large eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
12 ounces fresh blueberries (about 2 3/4 cups)
For the soaking syrup:
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
For the glaze
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2-3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
2. Spray 6 mini loaf pans with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon zest, mixing until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary. Beat in the yogurt.
4. On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Divide the batter among the prepared loaf pans, filling a little over halfway and smoothing the tops. Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool the loaves for 5 minutes and then turn them out onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
5. Prepare the soaking syrup: In a small saucepan, heat the lemon juice and sugar over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Brush the soaking syrup over the tops of the loaves, allowing it to soak in before adding more. Let the loaves cool completely.
Prepare the glaze:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar and just enough lemon juice to yield a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaves and allow to set before serving.
YELLOW POUND CAKE
[WoollyCroak.com, Adapted from Betty Crocker]
Ingredients:
1 cup of plain flour
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup margarine
1/8 cup cooking oil
3/8 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
Steps:
1. Heat oven to 150 degrees. Grease 9 x 5 inch bread-loaf baking tin.
2. Beat all ingredients at medium speed x 30 seconds then high speed for 2 mins.
3. Bake for 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Cool for 1 hour before serve.
HEALTHY POUND CAKE
[MethodsofHealing.com]
Traditional pound cakes are made with one pound of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, not to mention the things that are added to personalize the cake. These ingredients can contribute to high cholesterol which has an important role in our heart health and the health of all of the blood vessels in our body. Let’s look at a few suggestions to make a heart friendly delectable pound cake that will still be raved about at parties.
Pound Cake Substitution Tips
Flour – instead of using white flour, try substituting half of the flour with whole wheat pastry bread. This can be found at most natural food or organic grocery stores. White flour has also been shown to have a negative affect on the health of our joints
Sugar – there are many sugar substitutes out there that are recommended. There is still some debate as to whether or not some sugar substitutes including Splenda are a healthy alternative to natural sugar. For this reason, I am not recommending the use of a sugar substitute. Find out more about sugar substitute.
Sour Cream – if you do add sour cream to your personal recipe, select fat free or low-fat versions to add
Fruit Preserves – many people add fruit preserves to their pound cakes for added flavor. Many fruits are preserved in sugar and can be purchased with a “less sugar” option
Eggs – instead of using whole eggs use egg whites in your recipe. Egg yolks contribute to high cholesterol
Milk – whole milk can also be substituted with low fat or no fat alternatives
Instead of oiling the bundt cake pan, try just flouring the pan. The cake should still slide out afterwards if the pan is floured well.
Healthy Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
2 ½ cups of whole wheat pastry bread
3 cups of sugar
1 cup of softened butter
8 egg whites
1 ½ cup low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Directions:
Bake at 325 degrees for 65 minutes, individual oven times may vary. Use a toothpick to test if center of cake is done. Let cool completely prior to removing it from pan.
HONEY GRAHAM POUND CAKES
[takeamegabite.com, adapted from Joy the Baker]
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups graham flour
2 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 T) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 t vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 4 mini loaf pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the graham flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whip the butter, sugar and honey at a medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time, beating for about one minute after each addition. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the dry mixture and buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
4. Transfer the batter to the 4 prepared mini loaf pans. Smooth the top and bake for 25-30 minutes turning half way through baking. Remove from the oven when a thin knife comes out clean when inserted in the center and cake is golden brown.
5. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting:
[Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com]
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 large marshmallows
4 T (1/2 stick) butter
1/3 cup milk
Directions:
1. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder together into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Place marshmallows, butter and milk in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the marshmallows are melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and pour over the sugar and cocoa powder mixture. Stir until smooth, satiny and combined.
3. Frost the tops of your mostly warm honey graham cakes!
4. Slice and eat, chasing with a cool glass of milk.
CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT POUND CAKE
[epicurious.com]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts (7 to 8 ounces)
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
8 large eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Glaze
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 10-cup bundt pan or other tube pan.
2. In a food processor pulse hazelnuts until finely ground.
3. In a double boiler or a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and cool chocolate slightly.
4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat butter with 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy and beat in chocolate. Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in hazelnuts and flour.
5. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites with salt at medium speed until white, opaque, and beginning to hold their shape. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating at high speed until whites hold soft (not stiff), slightly glossy peaks.
6. Stir one fourth whites into chocolate mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly until no streaks remain.
7. Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Bake cake in middle of oven 35 to 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Invert cake onto a rack. After 5 minutes remove pan but leave cake on rack until cooled completely. With cake on rack set over a pan (to catch the drips), pour chocolate glaze over cake, allowing it to drip down outside and center.
8. While glaze is still wet (to avoid cracking), transfer cake to a platter. When glaze is set, cover cake loosely with plastic wrap or keep under cake dome at room temperature until ready to serve.
9. If cake is kept more than 1 day (before or after serving), it should be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
CITRUS POUND CAKE WITH CRANBERRY SYRUP
[RealSimple.com]
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (optional)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325° F. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and zests. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the salt and beat for 2 minutes. Slowly add the egg mixture. Beat for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.
3. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake from pan. Invert it onto the rack. Turn it over again onto a serving plate.
4. In a saucepan, over medium heat, simmer the cranberries, orange juice, and the remaining sugar until the berries burst, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the syrup into a bowl and stir in the liqueur (if using). Slice the cake and serve with the warm syrup.
TOASTED POUND CAKE WITH MASCARPONE AND AMARETTO
[Giada De Laurentiis, FoodNetwork.com]
Ingredients:
1 pound cake (10 3/4 ounce), cut crosswise into 12 slices
3/4 cup apricot preserves
3 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur (recommended: Amaretto)
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the pound cake slices on a large heavy baking sheet and toast in oven for 7 to 10 minutes until the slices turn golden brown. Alternatively, toast the pound cake slices in an electric toaster until golden.
3. Stir the apricot preserves and amaretto in a small bowl to blend.
4. Place 1 cake slice atop each of 6 plates. Spoon the mascarpone cheese atop the cake slices. Arrange the remaining cake slices offset atop the bottom cake slices. Spoon the apricot mixture over. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve immediately.
BROWN BUTTER POUND CAKE
[sugoodsweets.com, adapted from Flo Braker, The Joy of Cooking]
Ingredients:
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sifted (before measuring) cake flour*, or weigh out 196 grams
5 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
heaping 1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
1. Cut the butter into small pieces and put it into a large, cold saucepan. Over medium heat, swirl the butter occasionally as it melts. Foam will rise to the top, and the milk solids will sink to the bottom. Stir the butter more frequently as it starts to color; you don’t want the solids to burn. When the liquid turns golden and releases a nutty aroma (about 10 minutes, but I wasn’t really counting), immediately take it off the heat and pour into a clean bowl. If you burned some of it like I did, strain the butter through a fine mesh sieve or coffee filter. Cover well and refrigerate until the butter is solid, a couple hours.
2. Have all ingredients at room temperature, 68-70° F. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease and flour on 9 x 5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan or line the bottom with wax or parchment paper.
3. Resift the flour twice. I know it’s a pain, but you want the cake to be airy, don’t you?
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla and milk.
5. In a large bowl, but the butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add the sugars and salt. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually drizzle in the egg mixture, about 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the flour in 3 parts, beating on low speed or stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
7. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool.
*In a jiffy, here’s how to substitute 1 cup unsifted cake flour: measure 2 tablespoons cornstarch and add enough all-purpose flour till it equals 1 cup. Some people think cornstarch tastes chalky, so you can also substitute 7/8 cup (that’s 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour.
LEMON POUND CAKE
[thefastertimes.com]
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp milk, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) butter, soft
zest of one lemon
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp sugar
Steps:
1. Grease a loaf pan (approx. 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3). Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of and standing mixer, combine the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking soda, and mix with the whisk attachment for 30 seconds to blend.
3. With a fork, mix together the eggs, milk, lemon zest and vanilla.
4. Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and whisk on low speed for about 30seconds. Add half the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated, then increase speed to med-high and mix for one minute. Scrape down the sides.
5. Add the remaining egg mixture in two batches, mixing for 20 seconds each time and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
6. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted to the middle of the cake, about 55 minutes. I also recommend rotating the cake halfway through the bake time to ensure even baking.
7. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
8. Mix the lemon juice and 3 Tbsp of sugar.
9. Carefully unmold pound cake onto a plate. With a fork, poke holes into the top of the cake.
10.Brush (or spoon) the lemon syrup onto the cake. Don’t worry if it drips down the sides-that’s okay.
11.Transfer cake to a clean plate and cool completely.
BROWN SUGAR POUND CAKE
[bakingbites.com]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, beat all four egg whites to soft peaks. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until sugar is fully incorporated. Egg whites should still be at soft or somewhat stiff peak stage. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and don’t overbeat. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and remaining brown sugar (1 cup minus 2 tbsp). When fluffy, beat in all of the egg yolks and the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture. When all the flour has been incorporated, beat in 1/3 of the egg whites. When smooth and with the mixer still on low, beat in another 1/3. Fold in remaining egg whites with a large spatula, making sure no streaks of egg whites remain visible in the batter. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 40-60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
6. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Makes 1 loaf. Serves 8-10.
CARAMEL POUND CAKE
[onokinegrindz.typepad.com]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Caramel Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
Steps:
1. Dissolve sugar in water, then add to a heavy bottomed pot on low heat. Slowly increase the heat until until the sugar water mixture begins to bubble. Continue cooking until caramel reaches the desired coloration (should be amber color). Remove from heat then stir in heavy cream until well incorporated.
2. Add half the caramel sauce (there should be about 3/8 cup) to batter and mix well. Reserve the other half to use as a glaze on the finished cake.
For the Cake:
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 325º F. Butter and flour a 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla and continue to mix. Add in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Set aside.
3. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Add to egg mixture in 4 stages (about 1/3 cup at a time), mixing well after each addition. Set aside.
4. Pour finished batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 - 50 minutes at 325º F. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the top of the cake "springs" back when lightly pressed.
Cool in pan for approximately 10 minutes on wire rack. Turn cake out onto wire rack and cool completely.
5. Once cake is cooled, pour remaining caramel sauce evenly over the top of the cake. Cut into 1" thick slices and serve.
EGGLESS POUND CAKE USING SILKEN TOFU
[egglesscooking.com]
All Purpose Flour – 1 and 3/4 cups
Baking Powder – 3/4 teaspoon
Salt – 1/4 teaspoon
Butter, at room temperature – 3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks)
Sugar – 3/4 cup
Milk – 3 tablespoons
Silken Tofu, pureed – 3/4 cup (1/4 cup for each egg replaced)
Vanilla Extract – 1 and 1/2 teaspoons
Yield: 1 loaf (12 to 13 slices)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease and flour and 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar using a hand mixer about 1 minute on medium speed.
4. Add the milk (I used 2%) and vanilla and beat well.
5. Add the tofu in 3 portions and mix well. Don’t beat it, just mix it with a wooden spoon. Inspite of not beating the tofu, once added to the creamed butter mixture it had a curdled texture. Don’t worry.
6. Slowly add the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well with the mixer on low speed until just blended. Once the flour is added to the tofu mixture you don’t see any curdled tofu. The batter looks very normal and smooth.
7. Spread the batter in the prepared loaf pan. The batter has a semi solid consistency, so it takes some time to spread it evenly.
8. Bake for 60 minutes. When I did the toothpick test to check the doneness, mine came out clean exactly at 55 minutes. But once I cut it after cooling I found out that the center portion of the pound cake had not cooked completely.
BANANA CAKE
[en.christinesrecipes.com]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
4 ripe bananas
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar, white or brown (if you like darker colour, use brown)
1 egg, whisked
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 175C (350F).
2. Mashed the ripe bananas in a large bowl with a spoon or process in a food processor. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to combine melted butter with the mashed bananas. Stir in sugar, whisked egg and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt in the mixture.
3. Stir in sifted flour, one third at a time. No need to stir too hard, just fold and incorporate all ingredients thoroughly.
4. Transfer mixture into a greased 4x8 inch baking pan. Bake for about 1 hour. Test with a needle. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack. Enjoy!
Tips:
1. If you feel too tired of mashing banana with a spoon, use a food processor. Just process bananas for a few seconds if you’d like to retain some texture.
2. I found it’s better not to use an electric mixer for making banana cake. Use a spoon or whisk just to incorporate all ingredients together without over-stirring. The cake would be turned out really soft.
BANANA WALNUT CAKE
[en.christinesrecipes.com]
Ingredients:
100 gm butter, melted
90 gm brown sugar
200 gm ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs (120 gm), whisked
50 ml milk
120 gm cake flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
55 gm walnuts, roughly chopped
Method:
1. Preheated oven to 180C (356F). Prepare a rectangular mould 11.5cmx22cmx6cm
2. Cream melted butter with sugar with an electric mixer until light yellow, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add 1/3 of whisked egg into butter mixture at a time and mix well between adds. Combine thoroughly. Pour in the milk and combine well.
4. Add smashed bananas. Combine well with a spatula or wooden spoon.
5. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together. Sift into the banana mixture and combine well. Sprinkle walnuts and fold in. Reserve some walnuts to sprinkle over the surface of batter. Transfer batter into a baking mould. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until lightly brown and cooked through. Test with a needle. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Slice and serve on a platter.
WALNUT BUTTER POUND CAKE
[en.christinesrecipes.com]
Ingredients:
120 gm self-raising flour
2 eggs
100 gm butter, melted
85 gm sugar
50 gm walnuts
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C (356F).
2. Cream the melted butter and sugar with an electric mixer over medium speed until the mixture is smooth, fluffy and light in color (see picture 1).
3. Whisk eggs. Stir in one-third of the egg into the butter mixture at a time. Stir and combine well between adding egg each time.
4. Sift flour into the egg mixture. Use a spatula to combine all ingredients. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and mix well (see picture 2).
5. Grease sides of a rectangular cake mould, 11cmx21cmx6cm, or use a non-stick one to skip this step. At last, incorporate walnuts into batter. Transfer batter into mould. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (see picture 4). Test with a needle. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Let cool on wire rack.
HONEY VANILLA POUND CAKE
[feedmyworld-sri.blogspot.com, Recipe taken from Back to Basics]
iNGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound(2 sticks) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 extra large eggs; at room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease the bottom of an 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inch loaf pan.
3. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.
4. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,
cream the btuter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until light.
5. Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a glass
measuring cup but do not combine.
6. With the mixer on medium low speed, add the egg mixture,
one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each egg to
become incorporated before adding the next egg.
7. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
8. With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter
until just combined.
9. Finish mixing the batter with a rubber spatula and pour it into the
prepared pan. Smooth the top.
10.Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack,
and cool completely.
SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE
[lucyzhang.vox.com, Edible Memories]
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream (use fat-free sour cream for less calories, may also substitute with plain or vanilla yogurt)
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 6 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and smooth, about 7 minutes. Beat in eggs one a a time, mixing for a minute after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold dry ingredients into creamed mixture just until smooth. Gently fold in sour cream. Spread batter into baking pan.
4. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes in oven. A toothpick poked into the cake should come out mostly clean. Remove from oven and cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes, before inverting gently onto a cooling rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired. Optionally, make an easy fruit glaze by stirring some fruit preserves with water to reach a glaze consistency, and spoon over slices of pound cake to serve.
CONDENSED MILK POUND
[esjoie.wordpress.com, Pichet Ong’s The Sweet Spot]
Ingredients:
120gm good quality butter
45gm sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup condensed milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste/extract
120gm cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
Steps:
1. Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar together till light and fluffy.
3. Add in vanilla paste and cream well.
4. Pour in condensed milk and cream till well combined.
5. Using the mixer on low speed, add in flour in 3 additions. Mix till batter is smooth.
6. Add in eggs one at a time. Make sure it’s well mixed and smooth.
7. Bake at 175 degrees for 1 hour.
VANILLA BUTTERMILK POUND CAKES
[MyRecipes.com]
Ingredients:
13.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt); stir with a whisk. Place sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
3. Spoon batter into 5 (5 3/4 x 3 3/4–inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.You can also prepare these cakes in two (8 x 4–inch) loaf pans. Yield: 5 loaves, 6 servings per loaf (serving size: 1 slice)
VANILLA POUND CAKE
[mysweetandsaucy.com, adapted from Cake Love]
“Dry Ingredients”
Unbleached AP Flour 2 1/2 cups + 3 T. (13 1/2 oz.)
Potato Starch 1 T.
Vanilla Powder 1 1/2 t.
Salt 1/2 t.
Baking Soda 1/4 t.
“Liquid Ingredients”
Sour Cream 8 oz. (1 cup)
Heavy Cream 2 T.
Brandy 1/4 cup
Amaretto 1 T.
Rum 1 T.
Vanilla Extract 1 1/2 t.
Whiskey 1 1/2 t.
“Creaming Ingredients”
Unsalted Butter, at room temp, 8 oz
Sugar 24 oz (3 cups)
Large Eggs, 5
Yolks, 1
Vanilla Bean, 1
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate. In a separate bowl combine all the liquid ingredients and whisk to combine.
2. In a bowl of a standing mixer all the butter and sugar and cream together on the lowest speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla beans to the mixture,
3. With the mixer on the lowest speed, at the eggs one at a time followed by the yolk, fulling incorporating after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add the dry ingredients alternatively with the liquid mixture in 3-5 additions, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly to avoid over mixing the batter. Scrape down the bowl and then mix for 20 seconds to fully incorporate.
5. Spray your pan (loaf, bundt,etc) with nonstick spray and then fill 3/4 of the way up with the batter.
6. Bake a 12 cup bundt cake for 50-55 minutes and smaller muffin size loafs for 15 minutes.
CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE
[mysweetandsaucy.com, adapted from Cake Love]
“Dry Ingredients”
Unbleached AP Flour 10 oz (2 cups)
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 2 oz (1/2 cup + 2 t.)
Turbinado Sugar 2 T.
Potato Starch 1 t.
Vanilla Powder 1/4 t.
Salt 3/4 t.
“Liquid Ingredients”
Sour Cream 4 oz.
Whole Milk 3/4 cup
Brandy 2 T. *I substituted Godiva Chocolate Liqueur because I ran out of Brandy
Vanilla Extract 1 t.
“Creaming Ingredients”
Unsalted butter, at room temp, 8 oz
Sugar 24 oz (3 cups)
Large Eggs, 4
Yolks, 3
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate. In a separate bowl combine all the liquid ingredients and whisk to combine.
2. In a bowl of a standing mixer all the butter and sugar and cream together on the lowest speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla beans to the mixture,
3. With the mixer on the lowest speed, at the eggs one at a time followed by the yolk, fulling incorporating after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add the dry ingredients alternatively with the liquid mixture in 3-5 additions, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly to avoid over mixing the batter. Scrape down the bowl and then mix for 20 seconds to fully incorporate.
5. Spray your pan (loaf, bundt,etc) with nonstick spray and then fill 3/4 of the way up with the batter.
6. Bake a 12 cup bundt cake for 50-55 minutes and smaller muffin size loafs for 15 minutes.
CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE:
[cookstr.com]
Ingredients:
4 ounces (115 grams) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1¼ cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1¼ sticks (5 ounces; 140 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (180 grams) packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1/3 cup (85 grams) homemade creme fraiche, or store-bought or heavy cream
Directions:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter four 5¼ x 3 x 2½-inch (14.5 x 7.5 x 6.5-cm) disposable aluminum foil mini loaf pans. Dust the insides of the pans with flour, tap out the excess, and put the pans on an insulated baking sheet or on two stacked regular baking sheets.
2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over—not touching—simmering water or in a microwave oven; set it aside. Whisk the flour and baking powder together and set aside as well.
3. Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until it is smooth and light. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes. One by one, add the whole eggs and the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Don’t be concerned when the mixture curdles—it will come together when you add the dry ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the cream, followed by the melted chocolate. When the chocolate is thoroughly incorporated, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the pans. Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and cool for about 5 minutes before unmolding; turn the cakes right side up and cool to room temperature.
Notes:
Keeping: Wrapped airtight, the cakes will keep for 4 days at room temperature or for 1 month in the freezer.
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS: I sometimes spice up this cake by adding 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon or ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg to the dry ingredients or by beating the grated zest of 1 orange into the batter when I’m beating the eggs and sugar together. In fact, if you like the flavor of orange with chocolate, you might want to fold about ½ cup chopped candied orange peel into the batter before you spoon it into the loaf pans.
NOEL POUND CAKE
[MyRecipe.com, B. A. Lewis, Brunswick, Georgia, Southern Living]
Ingredients:
1 (6-ounce) jar red maraschino cherries
1 (6-ounce) jar green maraschino cherries
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation:
1. Drain cherries well, and finely chop. Press gently between paper towels to absorb excess moisture; set aside.
2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow yolk disappears.
3. Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda; stir in chopped cherries. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan.
4. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
AVOCADO POUND CAKE
[lovefeasttable.com, Recipe from Joy The Baker]
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
flesh of 1 1/2 ripe avocados, just over a cup of avocado, mashed
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9×4×3-inch loaf pans and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Set the four eggs out on the counter to come to room temperature while you beat the butter and sugar.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until softened and pliable. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the avocado and beat another minute to incorporate. Scrape down the side of the bowl to ensure that everything is thoroughly mixed.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after the addition of each egg.
6. Beat in vanilla extract.
7. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture, all of the buttermilk, and then the rest of the flour mixture. Beat just until combined.
8. Divide the dough between the two loaf pans and place in the oven. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
MARBLE CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE
Ingredients:
1 1/8 c butter
1/2 tsp Salt
8 Whole eggs
3 1/8 c Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 1/4 c Cake flour, sifted
3 1/8 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 c Cocoa powder
1/2 c Milk
Method:
1. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cream butter and powdered sugar together until light in color and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
4. Sift flour, baking power and salt. Add to the butter mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
5. Pour 13 oz of batter (about half) into another bowl. Mix in cocoa powder and milk.
6. Starting with vanilla batter, pour in alternating layers into pan. Run a knife, spatula or skewer threw batter after every chocolate layer to make more marbling effect.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let rest in pan upon removal for a couple minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
Note: By substituting the 1 oz cocoa powder with 2 oz pistachio paste this pound cake easily turns into a Marble Pistachio Pound Cake!
Should pistachio paste be an ingredient hard to come by, you can use 3 oz ground pistachio, 1 oz oil to substitute too.
MARBLE MOLASSES POUND CAKE
[bakingandbooks.com]
Ingredients:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons molasses or pure cane syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and flour the pan. (Measure the parchment paper by placing your pan on top of it and tracing around the bottom edges with a pencil. Use scissors to cut long these lines.)
2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat to combine the ingredients well. Add the beaten eggs and continue mixing until the mixture is light, fluffy and smooth. 1 to 2 minutes. Stop several times to scrape down the bowl.
3. Add about a third of the flour mixture, and then about half of the milk, beating at low speed after each addition just long enough to make the flour or the milk disappear into the batter. Mix in another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and then the last of the flour in the same way.
4. Scoop out about a third of the batter into a medium bowl, and add the molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Stir with a wooden spoon or fork to mix everything into the batter well.
5. Quickly add both batters to the pan, a few tablespoonfuls at a time, alternating between the plain and spiced batters. Run a table knife through the batter in a figure-eight pattern to swirl the batters together. (I did this three times.) Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour, until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched lightly at the center, and until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack or a folded kitchen towel for about 10 minutes. Use a table knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Then turn out the cake onto a wire rack or a plate, remove the paper carefully, and cool completely, top side up.
CHOCOLATE CHUNKS POUND CAKE
[Forks.ca]
Ingredients:
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sour cream
Half a bag of chocolate chunks
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9"x5" loaf pan.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs. Stir in vanilla.
4. Fold in flour mixture alternately with sour cream. Pour half-a bag of chocolate chunks and gently fold them into the mixture.
5. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cool completely.
ORANGE POUND CAKE
[kidszone.sailusfood.com]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour/maida
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking pwd
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
6 tbsps orange juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and flour round baking pan.
2. Sieve maida, baking pwd and salt in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, combine butter and sugar. Use a hand blender to make a smooth creamy mixture.
4. Add the beaten eggs and combine well. Add vanilla essence, orange zest and orange juice and combine well.
5. Fold in the maida mixture little by little alternating with milk.
6.Pour batter into the greased and floured pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 mts or till a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool, slice and serve at room temperature.
ALMOND POUND CAKE
[foodblog.schweerelos.net]
some eggs — 4 seems to be usual; I used 3, at room temperature
butter, at room temperature
sugar
flour
about 40ml of amaretto
pinch of salt
Directions:
Weigh the eggs (still in their shells), measure out the same amount of butter, sugar and flour. Apparently it’s really important that all ingredients have the same temperature.
And now everything depends on the order the ingredients are added — and it’s very important to beat them properly.
Beat butter and sugar with a balloon whisk for 3-4 minutes. Yes, this is hard work in the beginning.
Beat in one egg at a time, always stir until it’s completely mixed in.
Add the amaretto and stir it in completely.
Fold in the flour. No more stirring afterwards.
Pour in greased cake tin and let rest for 45 minutes. Bake in pre-heated oven at about 150°C/300°F for about 45 minutes (Claudia’s recipe says 180°C, but our convection oven seems to need lower temperatures).
In case you haven’t greased the cake tin: get someone to use brute force to get the cake out of the tin… (Not fun, this part.)
If you insist on decorating things: mix some icing sugar with a splash of amaretto. Cover cake with mixture. Sprinkle over some almond slivers.
LIQUER POUND CAKE
[Meganscooking.com]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, at room temp.
1 pound powdered sugar
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups cake flour
Liqueur Syrup (recipe follows)
Directions:
1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter till creamy. Sift powdered sugar, gradually, add to creamed butter beating untill mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Gradually mix flour into creamed mixture.
2. Scrape batter into four 3 1/2 x7 inch loaf pans. Smooth top of batter.
Bake at 300 degrees until a wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (about 50 minutes). Let cool in pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each pan and turn cake out; immediately return cake to pan. With a wooden skewer or a fork, poke 1 inch deep holes all over the top of the cakes. Immediately pour equal amounts of liqueur syrup over each cake. Let cool on rack for about 30 minutes.
Liqueur Syrup
In a 2 to 3 quart pan, combine 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Continue heating, without stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Cover and continue to boil until sugar is dissolved and liquid is clear-about 1 minute. (If you don’t cover the pan and if you stir while syrup boils, crunchy sugar crystals will form in the finished cake)
Remove from heat, uncover, and let stand until it’s slightly cooled (about 5 minutes). Stir in 1 1/4 cups rum or almond, hazelnut, or orange flavored liqueur. Use; or let cool, then cover and let stand at room temperature till the next day. Makes 3 1/2 cups.
CHOCOLATE LIQUER CAKE
Follow directions for Liqueur Pound Cake, but decrease powdered sugar to 3 cups. Combine butter and sugar, then add 5 ounces melted semi-sweet chocolate. Cakes will develop a thin crisp top crust as they bake.
Prepare Liqueur Syrup as directed, but decrease water to 1/2 cup and increase rum or liqueur to 1 1/2 cups. Options include almond, hazelnut, orange, coffee, or chocolate flavored liqueurs. As syrup soaks through cake, top crust will soften.
Note: Wrapped and stored in a cool area, they will last for up to 2 weeks. In the refrigerator, up to 1 month, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
VANILLA BEAN POUND CAKE
[smittenkitchen.com, Adapted from Martha Pearl Villas, New York Times Magazine]
Ingredients:
1 pound (2 cups) sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, used is fine
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 pound (9 large) eggs
1 pound (4 cups) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a food processor, grind vanilla bean and sugar until vanilla is as finely chopped as it can get, about one minute. Sift this mixture twice, making sure all larger pieces have been filtered out. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer, then gradually add the vanilla sugar, continuing to beat until well creamed and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating constantly. Add the vanilla extract and continue beating until well blended.
3. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or bundt pan. Pour in the batter and ‘’spank” the bottom of the pan to distribute the batter evenly. Bake until a straw inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes, taking care not to overcook. Turn cake out onto a rack and let cool.
POUND CAKE AND CHOCOLATE RICOTTA PUDDING WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE
[Thisdamecooks.wordpress.com]
Ingredients:
Chocolate Ricotta Pudding
Mix together in a bowl until smooth
15 oz. ricotta cheese, pressed through a fine-mesh sieve
1 oz. square bittersweet chocolate, grated
1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners)
1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp almond extract
Raspberry Sauce
Cook and stir over medium heat until sauce thickens:
1/4 cup raspberry jam (seedless)
1/2 cup water with 1 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Assembly:
1. Spoon 2 – 3 Tbsp of sauce onto individual serving plates.
2. Place 1 slice of pound cake on sauce. Drizzle 1 Tbsp of Amaretto over cake.
3. Top with large spoonful of pudding.
4. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate curls and/or almonds.
CHERRY POUND CAKE
[Lovemyphilly.com]
Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Cherry Flavor Gelatin
1-1/2 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
1/2 cup chopped drained maraschino cherries (about 20)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
12 whole maraschino cherries, drained
1 square BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
Directions:
1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Grease paper; set aside. Beat cream cheese, butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Gradually add flour, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended. Add dry gelatin mix and baking powder; mix well. Stir in chopped cherries. Pour into prepared pan.
2. BAKE 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is golden brown. Cool 5 min. Invert cake onto wire rack; remove pan. Cool cake completely.
3. MIX powdered sugar and lemon juice; spread over top and sides of cake. Dip whole cherries halfway into melted chocolate; let excess chocolate drip off. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature or refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Arrange decoratively over cake. Microwave any remaining melted chocolate just until of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over top of cake.
PASSION FRUIT POUND CAKE
[Syrie Wongkaew, About.com]
The pound cake is an old fashioned favorite passed down by many generations. The name "pound" refers to traditional recipes that contained one pound each of butter, eggs, sugar and flour.
While the passionfruit pound cake doesn't contain quite so much butter, it does contain low-fat ricotta cheese which adds a subtle yet beautiful flavor which is also enhanced by a little lemon zest.
The icing is a combination of fresh passionfruit pulp, low-fat cream cheese and icing sugar.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of cake flour
2 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of salt
3/4 cup (6oz) of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups of low-fat ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups of white sugar
1 Tbsp of finely grated lemon zest
3 large eggs, room temperature
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
Passionfruit Icing
250 grams (1 stick) of low-fat Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup of icing sugar
4 Tbsp of fresh or canned passionfruit pulp
Special equipment: 9" loaf pan
Preparation:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C).
2. Grease the loaf pan with a little butter. Set aside. Split the vanilla bean and use the tip of a sharp knife to scrape out the seeds into a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, ricotta, lemon zest and sugar on medium speed until smooth and light for about 2 minutes.
5. Use a wooden spoon to gently beat the eggs into the ricotta mixture, one at a time, making sure they're well combined before adding the next egg. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla seeds to the batter and stir gently to combine.
6. Using the wooden spoon, gradually mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
7. Pour the batter into the greased pan and use a spatula to smooth the top.
8. Bake the cake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan 180 degrees make sure it browns evenly. Bake for another 10 minutes then lower the heat to 325F (150C) and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Test the cake by inserting a tooth pick into the center. If it comes out clean, it's ready.
10.Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert cake onto the rack to cool completely.
11.Meanwhile, prepare the passionfruit icing. In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, icing sugar and passionfruit pulp. Beat with the electric mixer on a medium speed until smooth and creamy.
12.Once the cake is cooled, spread on passionfruit icing, slice and serve.
ALMOND SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE
[Pauka Deen, FoodNetwork.com]
Ingredients:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, plus more for pan
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Cook's Note: This is the basic recipe for a sour cream pound cake . This recipe would have to be modified to make into a wedding cake.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter and flour a tube pan and set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugar together and then add sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture, alternately with eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add extracts and stir to combine.
3. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool cake in pan for about 10 minutes and then unmold and cool completely on a wire rack.
POUND CAKE WITH RUM
[abc.net.au/tv/cookandchef]
Ingredients:
Traditionally with pound cakes, the eggs were weighed and then an equal part of sugar, butter and flour added. It is dense moist rich butter cake.
250g butter, room temperature
250g sugar
4-5 large eggs (room temperature)
250g flour
50mls dark rum
Vanilla bean
250g dried fruit, soaked in 50mls rum
5-10g baking powder***
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
A little citrus zest for the top
Directions:
1. Scrape a vanilla bean and soak in the dark rum.
2. Whisk the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and keep whisking until dissolved. Add the eggs one at a time ensuring they are incorporated between additions.
3. Fold in the flour, the rum (vanilla bean removed), the soaked fruit, the baking powder and the orange and lemon zests.
4. Spoon into a greased loaf pan, top with lime zest (or could be lemon or orange zest) and bake 175C for about 40 - 50 minutes.
***Traditionally there would have been no dried fruit or zest or baking powder added. The baking powder lightens the mix.
LIBERIAN POUND CAKE
[therecipes.net]
Ingredients:
1 lb. butter
4 eggs
1 c. Carnation milk
1 lb. sugar
1 lb. flour
4 ts. baking powder
1 ts. vanilla
Steps:
1. Cream sugar and butter.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, milk.
3. Sift baking powderand flour rogether and mix all together well.
4. Bake in moderate ovenuntil toothpick tested.
NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN POUND CAKE
[bakinghistory.wordpress.com]
This is a lovely variation on traditional American pound cake, made entirely with very fine cornmeal–once called Indian meal. It has a delicate, velvety texture and the delicious flavor of butter, corn, and nutmeg. From the original recipe by A Lady of Philadelphia (Eliza Leslie)In “Seventy-Five Receipts, for Pastry, Cakes, And Sweetmeats” 1828,USA.
Ingredients:
8 eggs
the weight of 8 eggs in sugar (1 lb–454 g)
the weight of 6 eggs in very fine cornmeal (corn flour) (12.5 oz.–354 g) + a little extra for the pan
1/2 lb (2 sticks–227 g) butter
1 pinch salt
1 whole nutmeg or 1 tsp (2.3 g) ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C). Generously butter a 5.4 x 9.1-inches loaf pan (13.6 x 23.2 cm), then sprinkle with corn flour, shaking off excess. Lining the pan with aluminum foil (buttered and floured as well) makes it easier to unmold the cake.
2. Grate the nutmeg, if using it, then mix it with the sugar. Pulverize the sugar mixed with nutmeg in a food processor or coffee grinder. If you use cinnamon instead mix it with the pulverized sugar at this point.
3. Cream the butter, then gradually add the powdered, flavored sugar to the creamed butter and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs two at a time alternating with the corn flour (to which you have added the salt). Add the corn flour to the butter mixture through a fine sifter. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula once in a while to mix everything properly. Beat the mixture on high speed until light and creamy, for at least 7 minutes.
4. Delicately pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour–a cake tester must come out clean. If the top browns too quickly, lightly cover with a piece of aluminum foil.
5. Let the cake cool in the pan placed on a rack for about 10 minutes, then take it out of the pan and let it finish cooling on the rack. It will be fragile while still hot.
The cake should be made 1 day ahead to be at its best. It stays moist and fresh for a few days if kept wrapped in aluminum foil, and its flavor improves.
Notes: It is important for achieving the right texture to use very fine corn flour, not fine corn meal, which is still too gritty. If you don’t find corn flour, you can process fine cornmeal in the food processor. Also pulverizing the granulated sugar is essential as well as it is sifting the flour while you add it to the batter.
The oven temperature must be no more than 325 °F (170° C), or the cake will develop a hard brown crust too soon and remain raw in the center.
Miss Leslie indicated only nutmeg and cinnamon as flavorings, but I also tried with anise, lemon zest and almond extract and all work well.
ORANGE BLOSSOM SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE
[yumsugar.com, Adapted from Sour Cream Pound Cake at The Wandering Eater]
Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
powdered sugar (optional)
ground ginger (optional)
ground cinnamon (optional)
2 tsp orange blossom water (or vanilla or lemon)
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Grease and flour a 8x4 inch loaf pan.
3. Sift the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flours together. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl (or mixer), cream the butter and sugar together. My butter was frozen, so I grated it first in order for it to cream quickly.
5. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated.
6. Next add 1 egg, mix thoroughly, then add a portion of the flour mixture, mix until blended. Continue to alternate between eggs and flour, mixing thoroughly each time.
7. Add orange blossom water (or 2 tsp of of other flavoring).
8. Pour the mixture into prepared pan. Smooth with spatula.
9. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the toothpick comes clean when inserted. The crust will be golden brown and the middle should be firm (shake the pan, if it wiggles, it's not ready).
10.Remove from oven, cool in pan for 15 minutes, invert on to plate. Dust with sifted powdered sugar.
Note: There is a lot of leftover batter. Either make another smaller loaf (if you have the proper pan) or make pound cupcakes. Cupcakes will take about 15-20 minutes at 325F. Only fill them half way, else grease/flour the top of the pans, there will be "stickage" if you don't!)
Note2: For the cupcakes, I added a few "pinches" of cinnamon and ground ginger to the leftover batter. The pound cake was nice without it, but it added a little more depth to the mini guys.
CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE
[Philly Pound Cake]
[sophistimom.com]
2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter, softened, but not quite room temperature
1 8 ounce (225g) package of cream cheese, softened slightly
1 1/2 (285g) cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups (250g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (165 degrees celsius). Spray four mini loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray, and place on a cookie sheet.
2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese. Pour in sugar and mix until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well until each is incorporated.
3. While ingredients are mixing, whisk together four, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
4. Distribute batter evenly among the four pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Let cool and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Wrap any extras tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.
HOMEMADE POUND CAKE
[MommysKitchen.net]
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs, room temp
3 cups sifted cake flour (a must here)
1 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Beat butter until creamy, gradually add sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add flour and whipping cream alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt cake and bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in pan about 5 minutes then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.
I strongly recommend using cake flour for this recipe. It really makes the cake. I have not used the substitute for the cake flour in this recipe, so I cannot guarantee the results if you substitute.
Substitute for Cake Flour:
l - cup minus 2 - tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour = l cup sifted cake flour
APRICOT POUND CAKE
[Flo Braker, The Simple Art of Perfect Baking(Chronicle, 2003)]
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest (1 lemon)
1 teaspoon orange zest (1 orange)
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
For the dried apricot filling, optional
1/3 cup dried apricots
1/3 cup water
Directions:
Make the cake:
1. Position rack in lower third of the oven; preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Using a paper towel, lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-x-5-x3-inch loaf pan with solid shortening. Dust generously with all-purpose flour, shake to distribute, and tap out the excess.
2. Pour the flour and salt into a triple sifter. Sift onto a sheet of waxed paper to distribute the salt evenly and to remove any lumps in the flour.
3. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk together just enough to combine yolks and whites. Add the vanilla and almond extract and stir to combine.
4. Grate only the colored portion from the lemon and orange rind for their zests: set aside. Place the butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer.
5. With the flat beater (paddle), cream the butter on medium speed (#5) until it is lighter in color, clings to the sides of the mixing bowl, and has a satiny appearance (this should take 30 to 45 seconds). Maintaining the same speed, add the sugar in a steady stream. When all the sugar is added, stop the machine and scrape the mixture clinging to the sides into the center of the bowl. Continue to cream at the same speed for 3 to 4 minutes or until the mixture is very light in color and fluffy in appearance.
6. With the mixer still on medium speed, pour in eggs, cautiously at first, tablespoon by tablespoon, as if you were adding oil when making mayonnaise. If at any time the mixture appears watery or shiny, stop the flow of eggs, and increase the speed until a smooth, silken appearance returns. Then decrease the speed to medium, and resume adding eggs. Continue to cream, stopping the mixer and scraping the sides of the bowl at least once. When the mixture appears almost white and fluffy and has increased in volume (about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes), detach the beater and bowl. Tap the beater against the edge of the bowl to free the excess. Stir in the lemon and orange zests with a rubber spatula.
7. Stir in about one-third of the flour at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl often and mix until smooth after each addition.
8. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. With a rubber spatula, spread the batter, working from the center outward and creating a slightly raised ridge around the outside rim of the pan. (Even though the batter is manipulated so it is higher around the edges and lower in the center, this cake will still peak and crack in the center as it bakes as a result of aeration. This is characteristic of a heavy batter.)
9. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out free of cake. The cake, with its crust golden, should begin to contract from the pan sides.
10. Place the cake on a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. With mitts, tilt and rotate pan, and gently tap it on the counter to see if the cake is releasing from the metal sides. If not, or if in doubt, run a small metal spatula or the thin blade of a table knife between the outer cake edge and the metal rim, freeing the sides and allowing air to get under the cake as it is rotated.
11. Cover the cake with a cooling rack, invert it onto the rack, and carefully lift pan to remove it. Cover with another rack, invert the cake, right side up, and remove the original rack. Cool completely.
Make the filling:
1. No more than 30 minutes before filling the cake, begin the apricot filling, if desired. Place the apricots in a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour the water over them and allow to soak for 5 minutes. Then, over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until almost all the water is evaporated (about 5 to 7 minutes).
2. While the mixture is warm, spoon it into a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and process until it has a sticky paste consistency.
Fill the cake:
1. Once the cake has completely cooled, place it on the counter. With a 12-inch serrated knife, trim the top of the cake to make it level. Then turn it upside down, making the top of the cake the base.
2. With the tip of a small paring knife, lightly trace a V on one short end of the cake, beginning at the corners of the seam (that is, where the sides meet the top) and ending just below the middle of the cake. Each side or leg of the V should be about 2 1/2 inches long (depending on the size of your cake, of course). Turn the cake around, and do the same to the other end of the loaf.
3. Insert the paring knife into the lines you have traced to the depth of about 1/2 inch. Do this to every corner of the cake. These notches will serve as a guide for cutting a deep V-shaped piece that will be lifted out of the pound cake. Position the cake directly in front of you, with one of its short ends parallel to the edge of the counter. Taking the right side first, insert a 12-inch serrated knife into both notches, and slowly saw diagonally down that side of the V. Check often to ensure that the knife is staying in the notch and following the correct angle. Turn the cake around, and repeat the procedure on the other side. Carefully lift the triangular portion from the body of the cake, and set aside.
4. Using a metal spatula, spread a thin, even film of the dried apricot filling into the valley you have created in the cake. Then replace the triangular piece, pressing down gently to fit it into place. The filling should not be too apparent, and the cake should look almost as it did before being cut.
Note: If you plan to serve the cake within 24 hours, wrap it in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. To freeze, cover the plastic-wrapped package in foil. Label, indicating the contents and date. Freeze for no longer than 2 weeks.
RICOTTA POUND CAKE
[Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen “Dolce Italiano” by Gina DePalma, vinolucistyle.com]
Makes one 9-inch loaf cake, about 10 servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups fresh whole-milk ricotta
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter, dust it with flour, and tap to knock out the excess.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, ricotta, and sugar on medium speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl after each addition. 4. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds with blunt side of a small knife, then beat them into batter along with vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients to combine them, scrape down sides of the bowl, and beat batter for 30 seconds on medium speed.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Give the pan a few gentle whacks on the counter to remove any air pockets.
6. Bake cake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan 180 degrees to ensure even browning. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking until the cake springs back lightly when touched, the sides have begun to pull away from the pan, and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes more.
7. Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert it onto the rack to cool completely. Dust cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar before serving it; the flavor is best on the next day (not that easy!).
Any leftover cake may be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days. The cake also freezes beautifully, wrapped in plastic, and place in a large, re-sealable plastic bag. Serve with a side of fresh fruit; pictured are blackberries.
MARBLE POUND CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE
[Meganscooking.com]
Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 1/2-by-4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl.
2. Melt 5 ounces chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar; raise speed to medium. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two batches of milk. Mix until just combined.
4. Pour half of batter into melted chocolate; stir well. Alternating between remaining plain batter and the chocolate batter, drop large spoonfuls of batter into the prepared pan. When pan is filled, use a table knife to cut through mixture with a swirling motion.
5. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. (If bread browns too quickly, tent with foil.) Let bread cool slightly in pan on a wire rack, about 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of bread to loosen; unmold. Let cool completely on rack.
6. Make ganache: Put the remaining 3 ounces chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just about to simmer. Pour cream over chocolate; stir until mixture is smooth. Let stand 10 minutes to thicken slightly. Using a small offset spatula, spread ganache over cooled cake; let stand until set, about 1 hour. Bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.
VANILLA YOGHURT, ALMOND FLAVOURED POUND CAKE
[fabulouslybroke.com]
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 (6 ounces) carton low fat vanilla yogurt
1 tsp almond extract
Optional: 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen roughly chopped cherries if you want
Steps:
1. Heat oven to 325°.
2. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, the baking powder and salt together and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl on medium speed, beat together the butter and the sugar until it’s light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs,the yogurt and extract until well blended.
5. Reduce mixer speed to low.
6. Add the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time, beating just until blended.
[Optional] Fold in the cherries.
7. Spread evenly in a greased and floured 9×5 x 3-inch loaf pan. Don’t over grease the pan. I tried to do a light coating of butter (VERY LIGHT!) but it turned out too greasy still.
APPLE CIDER POUND CAKE WITH CARAMEL GLAZE
[amandascookin.com, slightly adapted from CDKitchen]
Ingredients:
For the CAKE:
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the CARAMEL GLAZE:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
For the Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two loaf pans.
2. Soften butter and shortening. Gradually add sugar, beating for 1 minute. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 1/2 minutes after each addition.
3. Sift together flour, salt, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, cloves and cinnamon. Blend together cider and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with cider mixture. Stir until well-blended. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 50-60, or until done. Cool cakes in pans for ten minutes, then remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
4. Place a piece of waxed paper underneath the cooling rack that your cakes are on. Pour glaze on top of pound cakes and using a frosting spatula, gently spread glaze out to the sides and allow it to drip down.Cake will keep in a covered container or cake plate for 2-3 days.
For the Glaze:
Stir together sugar, buttermilk, baking soda, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and cinnamon in medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-low heat. Boil for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until candy thermometer registers 185 degrees.
PUMPKIN POUND CAKE
[slashfood.com, adapted from Fast Food Fix]
This recipe produces a lightened pound cake that is almost entirely fat free, so you don't have to stop with a mere sliver. And the one really substantial change that I made to Devin's recipe was to use one whole egg and one egg white instead of three egg whites. While this substitution can be made and the cake turns out well, I found that the addition of just this small amount of fat keeps the cake from getting that rubbery texture that can often plague fruit-based (or pumpkin-based) fat free baked goods. And even with the 5 grams of fat the yolk adds to the cake, it is still very light. Assuming that you cut your cake into 10 slices, each piece will have approx. 200 cal and .5 g fat.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon*
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
1 tsp vanilla extract
optional: 1/2 tsp butter flavoring**
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly coat a 8x4-in. loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, brown sugar, egg and egg white until combined. Beat in the yogurt, pumpkin and vanilla extract (and the butter flavor, if using). Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, stirring only until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
4. Cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then gently turn the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack before slicing.
Serves 10.
*Note about spices: You can use 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice in place of the spice combo (cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg) given above.
**Note about butter flavoring: This is optional but, while some bakers may frown on the use of the flavoring, consider that a pound cake is supposed to taste buttery. If you want your (nearly) fat free cake to have a little extra push towards the flavor of a "real" pound cake, the flavoring will help. A few drops also make a lighter, but tasty, addition to oatmeal in the morning.
BANANA RUM CHOCOLATE CHIP POUND CAKE
[adapted from Tartelettekitchensimplicity.com]
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
1/4 cup rum
Directions:
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Combine sour cream and cream cheese. Set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated.
4. Add 1/3 of the flour and mix until well combined. Add 1/3 cream cheese mixture and mix well. Continue alternating until all flour and cream cheese is incorporated.
5. Fold in bananas, chocolate chips, coconut and rum.
6. Pour into 2- 9×5 lightly oiled loaf pans. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 30-40 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Let cool 10 min. in pan before removing to wire wracks to cool completely.
* Alternatively you can bake this in a 10 inch tube pan, but keep in mind that the cooking time will increase.
* If you do not wish to use real rum then by all means substitute it with a teaspoon or two of rum extract. But, PLEASE don’t leave it out because it would just not be the same without it. Also make sure to add 1/4 cup of another liquid to make up for the missing rum.
BANANA CAKE
[penniesonaplatter.com, adapted from Erin Cooks]
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 ripe bananas, mashed
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275˚F.
Grease and flour your choice pan. (Time and temperature reflects a 9×13 or Tasty-Fill pan)
2. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with the lemon juice; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, spices and salt; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 60 – 90 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool on rack.(I cooled my cake for 10 minutes in the pan, then completely out of the pan on a wire rack. Then, wrapped it with plastic wrap and froze it for 2 hours. Meanwhile, I let some store-bought coffee ice cream soften on the counter, then filled in the cavities of the frozen cake. I topped with whipped cream and froze it over night. When ready to serve, let it sit for 10 minutes on counter before slicing.)
POUND CAKE
[cherryhillcottage.typepad.com]
A perfect pound cake....Put this recipe in your cookbook....This pound cake is fantastic plain. That is how we served it the first day, the second day, we served it with strawberries and whipped cream. DELICIOUS!
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup cold unsalted butter
(8oz.) cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 8-oz. pkg. cold cream cheese, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. pure vanilla
3 cups sifted cake flour
Directions:
1. Let eggs stand at room temperature about 30 minutes or until they are room temperature (no more than 2 hours). Generously butter and lightly flour two loaf pans or one 10-inch tube pan. Using large bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle attachment beat cold butter about 2 minutes on low speed, occasionally raising to moderately high speed for 2 seconds to dislodge butter from paddle.
2. Add cream cheese. Beat on low speed 3 minutes with occasional short bursts on high speed to dislodge mixture from paddle. Beat butter and cream cheese mixture until waxy and well-blended. Still mixing on low, add the sugar in a slow continuous stream. (This should take 1 1/2 to 2 minutes). Add salt. Continue creaming butter and cream cheese mixture for 5 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl once halfway through. Increase speed to medium; continue mixing 2 minutes more, scarping once.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 20 to 30 seconds after each addition or just until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl after first three eggs. Beat in vanilla with the last egg.
4. Gradually add about 2 1/2 cups of the flour on low speed, mixing until just blended. Turn off mixer. Fold in remaining flour by hand with a rubber spatula, just until combined.
5. Turn batter into prepared pans. Shake pan gently to distribute batter. Drop filled pan from a height of about 6 inches onto kitchen counter to dislodge any large air pockets.
6. Place on center rack of cold oven. Turn oven setting to 300. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours without opening oven door for the first 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test for doneness by carefully inserting a cake tester in center of cake.
Transfer to cooling rack. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans.
Bake 1 hour 45 minutes for tube pan.
PERFECT POUND CAKE
[GlutenFreeEasily.com, adapted from Filippio Berio]
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups gluten-free flour*
1 ½ tsp xanthan gum
1 ¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
¾ cup light olive oil
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk (dairy milk or non-dairy milk)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, and baking powder in an extra large measuring cup or separate bowl. Set aside.
3. Pour olive oil into large bowl, and slowly mix in sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
4. Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition.
5. Add milk. Mix 2 minutes. Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing well.
6. Pour batter into greased loaf pans.
Bake for 50 – 55 minutes.
*I can’t tolerate many of the healthier, gluten-free flours; e.g., sorghum, buckwheat. Therefore, my gluten-free flour mix is 3 parts Asian white rice flour and 2 parts cornstarch. I gently mix three one-lb bags of the Asian white rice flour and two one-lb boxes of cornstarch in a very large bowl and then store the mix in several airtight containers (like large glass jars). No refrigeration is needed.
Notes: I imagine that coconut oil would work fine in this recipe. Pans can be greased with whichever oil you use. Two loaf pans are what the original recipe calls for and what I used. Don’t worry too much over the size of the pans, although you may have to adjust cooking times. The original recipe called for 6 3/4″ x 3 1/2″ x 2″loaf pans. I (and one gfe reader) used 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 2 5/8″ pans. I don’t taste either the coconut milk or orange juice in this recipe; perhaps they balance each other, but all I taste is “good.” Last, I love the crunchy edges of this pound cake recipe. The end pieces are my absolute favorite.
PERFECTION POUND CAKE
[Slowlikehoney.net, from Baling: From my home to yours]
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour or 2 and 1/4 cups cake flour (I used all purpose)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup of sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees farenheit. Butter a 9 x 5 loaf pan or an 8 and 1/2 x 4and 1/2 loaf pan. (I used a cooking spray)
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Beat the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, a full 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater and reduce the speed to medium. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 to 2 minutes after each egg goes in. As you are working, scrape down the bowl and beater often. Mix in the vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and add the flour, mixing until it’s incorporated- DON’T OVERMIX. In fact, you might want to fold in the last of the flour, or even all of it by hand with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and smooth the top.
4. Put the cake into the oven to bake, and check on it after 45 minutes. If it’s browning too quickly cover it loosely with a foil tent. Depending on your pan size, your cake might need to be in oven from 70 to 95 minutes. The 9 x 5 pan needs 70-75 and the 8 and 1/2 x 4 and 1/2 needs 90 minutes. The cake is baked properly when a thin knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean.
5. Remove cake from oven, and transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Run a blunt knife between the cake and sides of pan and turn the cake out, then turn it right side up on the rack and cool to room temperature.
MINI CHEESE POUND CAKE
Velvety Cream Cheese Pound Cake
[cookingetcetera.wordpress.com]
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
Cake flour 400 gram
Salt 6 gram
Cream cheese 20 gram
Unsalted butter 250 gram
Sugar 160 gram
Egg yolks 170 gram
Vanilla essence 1 tbs
Parmesan cheese 20 gram
Basic meringue for pound cake:
Egg whites 250 gram
Sugar 250 gram
Cream Cheese Glaze:
* cream cheese 140 gram
* unsalted butter 10 gram
* vanilla essence 1/2 tsp
* lemon whole – grated zest & squeeze 1 tbs juice
* Icing sugar 45 gram
Parmesan wafers for decoration:
* Parmesan cheese 30 gram
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180C or 350F. Line loaf tins – set aside.
2. Prepare pound cake. Sift flour & salt into mixing bowl. Set aside
3. Beat cream cheese, butter & sugar until fluffy. Gradually add egg yolks, vanilla essence & parmesan cheese. Fold in flour mixture and set aside.
4.) Prepare meringue. Mix egg whites until foamy, add sugar continue whisking until fluffy with medium peaks.
5.) Fold meringue into batter & pour into loaf pans. Bake for 25-30 mnts. Remove cakes from tin & cool.
6.) Prepare cream cheese glaze. Beat cream cheese, butter & vanilla essence until fluffy. Add lemon zest & juice,icing sugar & mix well.
7.) Prepare parmesan wafers. Sprinkle thin layers of grated parmesan cheese onto baking tray. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C until golden brown. Set aside to cool before cutting into shapes
8.) Use a palette knife to spread cream cheese over the cake.Decorate with parmesan cheese wafers.
CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CHOCOLATE GLAZE
[alskamom.wordpress.com]
For the Cream Cheese Pound Cake:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (at room temperature)
1 1/4 cups butter, softened (at room temperature)
3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
6 eggs (at room temperature)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add buttermilk and mix well.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour all at once and mix in. Add vanilla extract; mix until combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place in a COLD oven, do not preheat, and bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 1 hour and 20 minutes. You can check for doneness at 1 hour by inserting a toothpick into center of cake. If toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
5. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto serving plate and cool completely. Cut into slices.
6. Before serving, top each slice with strawberries and chocolate glaze; if desired.
For the Chocolate Glaze:
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons hot water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in bowl. Mix with spoon until smooth.
BUTTER CAKE
(RasaMalaysia.com, adapted from About.com Southern Food]
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
Put all ingredients into a big bowl and use an electric hand mixer to blend all ingredients until smooth. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and transfer the batter into the baking pan. Bake at 350° for 50 – 60 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
BLUEBERRY POUND CAKE
[RasaMalaysia.com, adapted from About.com Southern US Cuisine]
Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Sift 2 cups flour, salt and baking powder together. Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture and beat.
Dredge berries in remaining flour. Gently fold floured berries into the batter. Grease and dust the bundt pan (or tube pan) with flour; pour batter into it. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until it’s done.
MARBLE CAKE
[Rasamalaysia.com]
Ingredients:
3 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups (15 oz) bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt, full fat preferred
1/2 cup whole milk
100g (3.5oz) semi-sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
1 Tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Put chocolate in a dry, clean bowl and melt in microwave oven in 30-second intervals, stirring till you get a smooth paste. Remove and let cool.
3. In a stand mixer, or a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar till mixture is fluffy and sugar has been cut in well.
4. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat on med-high speed for about 20 seconds after each egg, and scrape down before adding the next one.
5. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
6. Add dry ingredients in three portions, interspersing with the yogurt and milk and stir gently. So basically, this means 1/3 dry ingredients, yogurt, 1/3 dry ingredients, milk, final third dry ingredient. Stir till all traces of flour is gone.
7. Take out half of the vanilla cake batter and drop it into the baking pan. Add the melted chocolate and cocoa powder and Grand Marnier (if using) to the remaining batter and stir it.
9. Interspersing globs of vanilla batter with chocolate batter, drop batter into pan.
10. Using your spatula, twirl the batter together using a figure-eight motion to mix the batter up to get that nice pretty marble design. Don’t overmix.
11. Smooth out the top of your pan and put cake in oven to bake. If you’re using loaf pans, start to test the cake after about 40 minutes. If using your bundt, it will need about 1 hour (test after 55 minutes). Cake tester should come out clean when it’s done.
POUND CAKE
[RasaMalaysia.com, adapted from Better Homes and Garden, May 2009 issue]
Ingredients:
6 eggs (room temperature)
1 cup unsalted butter (8 oz.), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 oz. cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups fine sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons pure vanilla (I love the vanilla from I Heart Vanilla)
3 cups sifted cake flour or 2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Method:
1. Butter and lightly flour your 8×4x2 inch loaf pans or one 10-inch tube pan. (I used a mini loaf pan and makes 4 loaves.)
2. Beat the butter on low speed for 2 minutes and add cream cheese. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes until well-blended. While beating, add sugar, salt, and vanilla and turn the speed to medium speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Then, add eggs one at a time and continue beating.
3. Turn the speed to low before adding the flour. Beat the batter until well blended and smooth. Transfer batter into the pan. Shake pan gently to distribute the batter. Run a spatula in zigzag pattern through the batter and then top with sliced almonds.
4. Place on the pan in the center rack of a cold oven and bake at 300 degree F for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out dry. If you are using a tube pan, bake for 1 hour 45 minutes. Transfer the pound cake to a cooling rack for about 10 minutes before removing from pans and serving.
Cook’s Note:
Proper creaming is critical for a perfect pound cake. Creaming is the process of blending the butter and sugar together to incorporate air and it usually takes about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
LEMON POUND CAKE
[RealSimple.com]
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 cup (2 sticks), at room temperature
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup light cream
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Brush six 5 3/4-by-3 1/2-inch disposable loaf pans with the melted butter. Position a rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into a large bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the room-temperature butter on medium until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Lightly whisk the eggs then beat them into the butter-sugar mixture. Add the lemon zest. Add a quarter of the dry-ingredients mixture, followed by a third of the cream, blending until smooth. Repeat until all the dry ingredients and cream have been combined. Blend in the extracts.
3. Divide the batter among the pans. Place pans in oven, spacing evenly. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack. The cakes can be wrapped in plastic and kept frozen for up to 1 month.
POUND CAKE WITH CITRUS GLAZE
[FoodNetwork.ca]
A pound cake traditionally calls for a pound of each butter, sugar, eggs, and flour but I’ve played with the formula a little to make a rich buttery pound cake that is not as heavy and dense as some pound cakes can be.
Ingredients:
For the Pound Cake:• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (175 ml)
3/4 cup super fine sugar (175 ml)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted (375 ml)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder (3 ml)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1 ml)
1/3 cup homogenized milk, at room temperature (75 ml)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (7 ml)
Zest of half an orange, finely grated
Crème fraiche, whipping cream or ice cream, for serving (optional)
For the Citrus Glaze:
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (30 ml)
Zest of ½ orange, finely grated
3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted (175 ml)
Directions:
Pound Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and lightly flour an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan.
3. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Stir and set aside.
4. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and orange zest together in another bowl. Set aside.
5. With a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or alternatively with an electric hand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
6. To the butter mixture, add half the wet mixture and then half of the dry mixture, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the remaining wet mixture followed by the remaining dry mixture beating until incorporated.
7. Spoon the cake batter into pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean when inserted, about 50 to 60 minutes. The pound cake should be golden in colour and the top will be slightly cracked.
8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out cake from pan and transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Brush with citrus glaze. Slice and serve with crème fraiche, whipped cream, or ice cream if desired.
Citrus Glaze:
Whisk orange juice, orange zest and icing sugar together in a bowl until fully incorporated. Brush over cooled cake.
FAVA BEAN POUND CAKES
[blog.lemonpi.net, from The Dessert Book, by Hidemi Sugino]
For the batter:
100g unsalted butter, thinly sliced, plus additional for greasing pans
150g icing sugar
180g whole eggs
70g plain flour
1.5g (1/3 tsp) baking powder
100g almond meal
60g poached fava bean puree (see below)
For the garnish :
Poached fava beans, for top and garnish
Diced almonds, for top
For the syrup:
60g fava bean poaching syrup
60g kirsch
Directions:
1. Combine syrup ingredients; set aside. Butter baking pans.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and almond meal.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine butter and sugar; process for 4 to 5 seconds. Gradually add eggs, and flour mixture, processing for 4 to 5 seconds, after each addition. Transfer to a bowl and fold in bean puree.
3. Pour this batter into a pastry bag without a tip and pipe evenly into buttered pans. Lightly tap pans in order to release the trapped air from the batter. Sprinkle each with almonds and 2 fava beans on top. Bake in a 170′C oven until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove from pans, transfer to a wire rack, and brush syrup while warm. Garnish with poached fava beans if desired.
Poached Fava Beans:
60g granulated sugar
2/3 vanilla bean, split
150g water
150g peeled frozen fava beans
Directions:
Heat sugar, vanilla and water together over high heat until sugar dissolves. Add fava beans, bring to a simmer, and cook for 1 minutes; let cool to room temperature. Transfer into an airtight container, and refrigerate overnight. To puree beans, process in a food processor or mash.
Note: If you use fresh fava beans, cook them in salted boiling water, immediately shock into cold water and peel before poaching.
PEANUT BUTTER POUND CAKE
[bakeorbreak.com, Adventures of An Amateur baker, Recipe from Taste of the South]
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
10 ounces swirled milk chocolate and peanut butter morsels
confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.
2. Beat butter, sugars, and peanut butter at medium speed until fluffy. Add vanilla. 3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter/sugar mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes, until done. If necessary, cover top of cake with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Garnish, if desired.
CHOCOLATE-SWIRLED POUND CAKE
[Southern Living, MyRecipes.com]
Ingredients:
4 sticks (2 cups) LAND O LAKES Butter or Margarine, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
Preparation:
1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
2. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
3. Combine 1 cup batter and chocolate syrup, stirring until blended.
4. Divide remaining batter in half; pour 1 portion into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Spoon half of chocolate batter on top; repeat layers. Gently swirl batter with a knife.
5. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
SOUR CREAM LEMON POUND CAKE
[Southern Living, MyRecipes.Com]
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon extract
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon rind (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat sour cream
1 cup powdered sugar
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray, and dust with the breadcrumbs.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Beat the butter in a large bowl at medium speed of a mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and lemon extract, beating until well-blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add grated lemon rind and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; beat 30 seconds. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beating at low speed, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Combine 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over top of cake.
LEMON LIME SODA POUND CAKE
[Cakeman Raven Confectionery, NYC, FoodNetwork.com]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup lemon lime soda
3 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grease a 10-inch tube pan and dust with flour.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until fluffy. Slowly add 2 cups of the sugar and mix until just incorporated. Raise the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, until incorporated.
4. Reduce the mixer’s speed to low. Alternately add the flour and soda until a smooth batter is formed. Transfer the batter to a large bowl.
5. Clean the bowl of the mixer and place the egg whites inside. Using the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add the lemon juice and beat until soft peaks are formed. Add the remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.
6. Working in 3 batches, using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool completely about 2 hours, then unmold and serve.
CHOCOLATE-GINGER POUND CAKE
[Southern Living, MyRecipes.com]
Ingredients:
1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation:
1. Place chocolate morsels in a small microwave-safe glass bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30- second intervals.
2. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.
3. Sift together flour and next 3 ingredients. Stir together buttermilk and crystallized ginger. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.
4. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack, and cool 1 hour or until completely cool.
To freeze: Wrap cooled cake tightly with plastic wrap. Wrap loosely with aluminum foil. Freeze up to 1 month.
EASY POUND CAKE
[Makelifedelicious.com]
Ingredients:
1 box cake mix – any flavor/any brand
1 package (3.4 oz) instant pudding and pie filling mix – any flavor/any brand
4 large eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can frosting – any flavor/any brand
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt or tube pan (sometimes I dust with powdered sugar instead of flour).
2. Combine cake and pudding mix with eggs, water, vanilla, and oil. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour in prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until done. Cool completely and invert on serving dish.
3. To frost, heat frosting in microwave for 10-15 seconds. Stir and drizzle over cake. The instructions say to use 1/2 cup; I say use the whole thing!
Other great variations of this recipe…
Dreamsicle – Orange Supreme cake mix with vanilla pudding and white whipped frosting
5 flavor – White cake mix with vanilla pudding and a tsp. each of vanilla, almond, butter, rum, and coconut flavorings with cream cheese frosting.
Strawberry – Strawberry cake mix with vanilla pudding and strawberry frosting
Lemon – Lemon cake mix with lemon pudding and cream cheese frosting
Chocolate – Devil’s Food cake mix with chocolate pudding and chocolate frosting or caramel frosting.
Mounds – Coconut cake mix with coconut pudding mix and milk chocolate frosting.
BABY POUND CAKES
[penniesonaplatter.com]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, at room temp
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, at room temp
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond or lemon extract
confectioners sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well, 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
3. Combine flour and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended; stir in vanilla and almond or lemon flavorings. Spoon batter into chosen pan and bake according to the times below, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean:
Standard-Size Muffin Pans (paper-lined):22 to 25 minute
Miniature Muffin Cups (paper-lined):16 o 18 minutes
12 cavity (1/4 cup capacity) Mini Fluted Tube Pan (greased): 20 minutes
Wilton Mini Fluted Tube Pan (greased): 30 minutes
Miniature Loaves (greased): 25 minutes
Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Dust with confectioners sugar, if desired.
ELVIS PRESLEY'S FAVORITE POUND CAKE
[bzoxygen.com, epicurious.com]
This is the best pound cake we have ever tasted. Its tender appeal is owed in part to cake flour and cream, and in part to beating the batter an extra 5 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) plus additional for dusting
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
7 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
Special equipment: a 10-inch tube pan (4 1/2 inches deep; not with a removable bottom) or a 10-inch bundt pan (3 1/4 inches deep; 3-qt capacity)
Directions:
1. Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven.
2. Generously butter pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
3. Sift together sifted flour (3 cups) and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).
4. Beat together butter (2 sticks) and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl, then beat at medium-high speed 5 minutes. Batter will become creamier and satiny.
5. Spoon batter into pan and rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles. Place pan in (cold) oven and turn oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.
Cooks’ note:
Cake keeps, covered well with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature.
COCONUT POUND CAKE
[MommysKitchen.net]
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs, room temp
3 cups sifted cake flour (a must here)
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2/3 - 3/4 flaked, sweetened coconut
Directions:
Beat butter until creamy, gradually add sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add vanilla and coconut extract and blend. Add flour and coconut milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Add shredded coconut. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt cake and bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in pan about 5minutes then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.
RUM CAKE
[MyRecipes.com, Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban, Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2005]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
1/2 cup dark rum
1/4 cup banana liqueur*
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream
Rum Syrup:
Powdered sugar
Preparation:
1. Beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla, beating until blended. Add lemon rind, beating until blended. Gradually add rum and banana liqueur, beating until blended. (Batter will look curdled.)
2. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients; add to batter alternately with whipping cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
4. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Pierce cake multiple times using a metal or wooden skewer. Pour Rum Syrup evenly over cake. Let stand 45 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar before serving.
*1/4 cup dark rum may be substituted.
POUND CAKE WITHOUT BUTTER
[kitchenmusings.com, “The Notebooks of Michel Bras”]
Ingredients:
For the Pound Cake:
1/2 cup crème fraiche
4 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Directions:
1. Beat the eggs and sugar until mixture turns pale. Gently fold in the crème fraiche. Sift the flour and baking soda, and stir them into the mixture with a spatula. Butter the pan and dust with sugar. Tap the pan lightly to remove the excess. Pour in the batter.
2. Bake in a 325 °F oven for 45 minutes. Insert a skewer to check that the cake is done. This pound cake will keep longer if wrapped in plastic.
For the Crème Anglaise from “Cookwise” by Shirley Corriher (Try also Sherry Yard’s from “Secret of Baking”)
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste)
1 cup whole milk
½ cup heavy or whipping cream
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
Salt
Directions:
1. Pry the vanilla bean open with the tip of a knife and scrape some of its grainy black interior into a medium saucepan. Add the vanilla bean itself, milk, and cream. Heat over medium heat until the mixture just begins to steam. Stir the egg yolks, sugar, and a generous pinch of salt together in a bowl. Drizzle the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Strain the yolk mixture into the top of a double boiler.
2. Bring about 1 ½ inch water to a boil in the bottom of the double boiler. Make sure the water does not touch the top pan. Stir the custard mixture constantly until it just begins to thicken. Remove from the double boiler and continue stirring. Dip a large spoon into the custard, then remove it. The custard should be thick enough to leave a line when you drag your finger across the middle of the spoon. This is what recipes mean by “thick enough to coat a spoon”.
3. Transfer the custard to a bowl. Dot the surface with butter or cover with a piece of plastic wrap touching the entire surface of the custard. Refrigerate until needed.
CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE WITH FUDGE GLAZE
[MommysKitchen.net]
3 sticks margarine or butter
3 tsp vanilla
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa
5 eggs
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Milk (Preferably Whole Milk)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour bundt pan, set aside. Cream butter in large mixing bowl. Add sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Measure milk and stir vanilla into it. Add milk and dry ingredients alternately, mixing after each addition. Pour into pan and bake for one hour and twenty minutes. Let cool for ten minutes before removing from pan and allowing to cool completely before adding glaze.
For the Fudge Glaze:
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
7 TB Milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 TB Shortening
1 tsp vanilla
2 TB Margarine
1/2 Cup Cocoa
Directions:
Combine sugar, cocoa, milk, shortening, margarine, and salt in heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling , stirring constantly. Once it reaches a boil, allow to boil without stirring for two minutes, no more. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stirr until cooled just slightly. Spoon over cooled cake.
LEMON POUND CAKE
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
5 eggs, slightly beaten
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour tube or Bundt cake pan. Cream butter and sugar. Alternately add eggs and flour. Add lemon juice and zest. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes.
BROWN SUGAR POUND CAKE
Ingredients:
For the Cake:•1 cup butter, softened
2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed*
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Caramel Rum Sauce
Preparation:
Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan**. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture. Add vanilla. Fill prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 35-40 minutes or when toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake completely, then remove from pan. Drizzle*** Brown Sugar Pound Cake with slightly cooled Caramel Rum Sauce.
For the Caramel Sauce:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whipping or heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons dark rum
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Cover and continue to boil for 1 minute to wash sugars from side of pan. Uncover and boil for 3 to 4 more minutes without stirring. Cool slightly before drizzling* over cake or ice cream.
LEMON YOGURT CAKE
[www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-yogurt-cake-...][http://www.flickr.com/photos/steamboatwillie33/3860610108/in/set-72157617618339308/]
Note: This was the first time I tried this cake and its super moist almost to the point of being to moist. I think you can skip the part about pouring on the warm sugar/lemon syrup and just add the glaze and it would be perfect unless your into that almost wet texture!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
3. Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
4. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
5. For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.
JAMAICA LIGHT FRUITCAKE
[From Craig Claiborne’s New York Times Cookbook, http://foododelmundo.com/2009/11/26/jamaica-light-fruitcake/]
Makes 10 pounds of cake
Ingredients:
1 pound currants
1 pound prunes
1 pound dates
1 pound seedless raisins
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups rum
6 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
8 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Wash the currants and prunes and dry. Pit the prunes and dates and cut them into small pieces. Mix all the fruits with the wine and rum and let stand three days, stirring every day. We put ours in a large, gallon size, Ziploc bag and just turned it over every day until we were ready to bake.
2. Preheat oven to slow (300 degrees F.)
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Cream the butter, add the sugar and cream well. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture gradually, stirring until blended. Fold in the prepared fruit and liquor.
5. Grease four 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/4 inch loaf pans, line with waxed paper and grease the paper. Fill not more than three-quarters full with the batter.
6. Place a shallow pan of hot water on the bottom of the oven; place the cakes on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake about three hours. Remove the pan of water thirty minutes before the cakes are done.
7. Remove the cakes with the paper and place on a rack to cool. Wrap in fresh waxed paper or aluminum foil and store in an airtight container in a cool place. Allow at least two weeks, preferably longer, for aging.
CHESTNUT POUND CAKE
[HappyTummyblog.com, adapted from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich]
Ingredients:
1 cup (4.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup (4.5 oz) white whole wheat flour
1 cup (4.5 oz) chestnut flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cups Egg Beaters, at room temperature
14 Tbsp. Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend, softened
2 Tbsp. ground toasted golden flaxseeds
2 cups turbinado sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/3 cup Kahlua (or any sweet dark liqueur)
1 ½ cups (6oz) coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
1. POSITION A RACK in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 10-12 cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, soda, and salt together, then sift the mixture three times. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and Egg Beaters with a fork to combine the whites and yolks; set aside.
3. In a bowl of a stand mixer (use the paddle attachment), beat the butter for a few seconds until creamy. Add the sugar in a steady stream and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beating constantly, dribble the eggs into the butter mixture a little bit at a time, taking 2 to 3 minutes to add them all.
4. Stop the mixer and add one-third of the flour mixture and beat on low speed only until no flour is visible. Stop the mixer and add half of the buttermilk and half of the liqueur and beat only until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat with half of the remaining flour, then all of the remaining buttermilk and liqueur, and finally the remaining flour with the walnuts if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 10 minute before unmolding.
5. Tap one side of the pan against the counter to release the cake, then tap the other. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Turn the preferred side up before cooling the cake completely.
6. Wrapped airtight, the cake keeps well at room temperature for up to 3 days; or freeze for up to 3 months.
CHESTNUT POUND CAKE
[http://en.petitchef.com/recipes/chestnut-pound-cake-fid-558797]
Ingredients:
200g flour
180g sugar
4 eggs
200g butter
1/3 lb chestnuts
Method:
To prepare chestnuts
1. You will need : more than 50g of sugar, yellow food colour
2. Soak chestnuts in hot water for an hour.
3. Remove shell and dark skin (with knife).
4. Boil chestnuts in pan with just enough water to cover the nuts for 10 minutes.
5. Drain water and put water again, and then boil with sugar and 4-5 drops of yellow food colouring .
6. Cook it for 20 minutes
To make pound cake :
1. Separate the yolks from the eggs and save both.
2. Beat the whites until firm and add 1/3 of sugar.
3. Continue to beat until the sugar is well mixed.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until the mix becomes white.
5. Fold in half of the egg whites.
6. Add half of the flour by cutting it in.
7. Fold in the remaining egg whites.
8. Add the rest of the flour by cutting.
9. Melt butter and add to the mix, cutting it in
10. Add chestnuts, pour into loaf pan about half full.
11. Bake in the oven at 365 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL CAKE
[Recipe adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce, http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/rosemary-olive-oil-cake-recipe.html]
Olive oil for the pan
Dry ingredients:
3/4 cup / 3 oz / 80g spelt flour
1 1/2 cups / 7.5 oz / 210 g all-purpose flour
3/4 cup / 4 oz / 115g sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup / 240 ml olive oil
3/4 cup / 180 ml whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
5 ounces / 140 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (use chocolate bar)
2 tablespoons sugar for top crunch
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C. Rub a 9 1/2-inch (24 cm) fluted tart pan with olive oil. Alternately, I used a long (4 1/2 x 13 inch) loaf pan, and lined it with parchment paper.
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring any bits of grain or other ingredients left in the sifter back into the bowl. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the olive oil, milk and rosemary and whisk again. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, gently mixing just until combined. Stir in 2/3 of the chocolate. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and run a fork along the length of the chocolate so that the batter envelops it just a bit. Sprinkle with the second sugar.
4. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is domed, golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. My cake, in the alternate pan, took closer to 50 minutes. Also, just when my cake was nearly finished baking, I decided I wanted a bit more color on top. I finished it under the broiler for a minute - which caramelized the sugar on top as well and gave it a bit of crunch. Don't walk away from the cake while it is under the broiler.
Note:
The cake can be eaten warm or cool from the pan, or cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and kept for 2 days.
Serves 8 -12.
MOIST GINGER PUMPKIN BREAD
[Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart - Everyday Food, http://www.flickr.com/photos/somethingsoclever/255321719/]
Ingredients:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin purée (1 3/4 cups)
3 large eggs
Sugar glaze (optional, see below)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Butter and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch (6-cup) loaf pans (see note, below); set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugars, pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs; add flour mixture, and stir until just combined.
2. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; invert pans and transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely. Glaze, if desired.
3. For the sugar glaze: In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons water until mixture is smooth but thick. Place waxed paper under rack for a quick cleanup. For easy pouring, transfer glaze to a liquid-measuring cup, and drizzle over loaves. Let dry 15 minutes before serving. Makes enough for 2 loaves.
Makes 2 - Using 8"x 4" Loaf Pans
(Photo by flickr.com/photos/randysonofrobert/335411268/)
FRUIT CAKE
It's a very simple recipe: 1 lb of flour, 1 lb of eggs, 1 lb of butter and usually 1 lb of sugar but i cut it down to 1/2. cream butter and sugar, add eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp salt, mix in flour. add 3.5 lbs of any mix of dried and candied fruit you want, any cut. add 1 lb of any nut you want, mix thoroughly, bake in 325˚F oven until done (depending on size anywhere from 35 minutes for muffins to 2 hours for giant bricks).
Photos from Flickr.com
2 comments:
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