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Thoughts on Pound Cake…

OLD FASHIONED POUND CAKE

Pound cake, for me, is one of the best classic examples of old school Southern baking. Although its earliest written history goes back to European roots, this cake has become classically American. Originally, just as the name suggests, pound cake recipes were simply a combination of a pound each of four standard baking ingredients: butter, sugar, flour and eggs. Over the years the recipe has changed and evolved, some formulas include a leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda, which will produce a less heavy and dense cake. As using cooking oils in cakes became more common, vegetable oil is sometimes seen as a partial sub for butter, sacrificing the flavor punch that butter adds over the addition of moisture. Some recipes sub cream cheese or sour cream in for some of the butter fat, adding a bit of tang to the flavor.

One of the great things about pound cake is that it presents a blank slate as a jumping off point for creative variations, not only in the flavor and texture of the cake but for toppings such as glazes, frostings , simple syrups soaks and ganaches. It’s fun to use your imagination to create your own signature pound cake.

Some good tips for perfecting your pound cake:

Make sure your ingredients are all at room temperature for blending smoothly without much effort. Which brings me to the second tip, don’t be tempted to beat the batter. A heavy hand will beat out all of the air you want to keep in to aid in rising, especially with the original recipe which includes no leaveners. My favorite recipe is based on a very old Southern Living formula which oddly instructs you to put everything in the mixer at once, in a particular order, and then blend for a very brief amount of time, just 3 minutes. This was a best seller at my bakery in Dallas, Dallas Affaires Cake Company ( @dallasaffaires).

I return over and over to this recipe, even though I have 20+ versions in my arsenal, as it most closely reflects my idea of the classic pound cake. Sliced warm, served at room temperature, grilled or served with fresh fruits and cream; chunked up in a layered compote or crumbled up as dry, leftover tidbits for use for a pie crust or smashing on the outside of a frosted layer cake. So many end games!

Old-Fashioned Pound Cake

Sibby Barrett

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 15

Cooling Time 20

Total Time 1 50

Course Brunch, Dessert

Equipment

bundt pan
mixing bowl
oven

Ingredients

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1 pinch salt
1 lb butter softened
6 large eggs room temperature
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract good quality vanilla

Optional Add-in Variations

citrus zest optional
3/4 cup chocolate chips optional
3/4 cup sweetened coconut optional

Simple Glaze

1 cup well sifted powdered sugar
2 tbsp liquid dairy or liqueur such as milk, cream, half and half or a liqueur such as Kahlua, Baileys or Amaretto; citrus juice, coffee
1 tsp extract of choice
citrus zest

Italian Cream

1/4 cup butter softened
4 oz cream cheese softened
3 cups well sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp extract of choice
2 tbsp liquid of choice such as milk, cream, half and half or a liqueur such as Kahlua, Baileys or Amaretto; citrus juice, coffee

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup cream
8 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Optional Additions

1-2 tsp cinnamon or Baker's Sprinkles
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp instant espresso

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°
Place flour, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, milk and extract ( IN THAT ORDER) in mixing bowl. Beat at low speed 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Take care not to overmix.
Add the variations in with the dry ingredients near the bottom of the bowl, just after sugar and salt, if using.
Pour into a generously greased Bundt pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Allow cake to cool on a rack for about 20 minutes. Loosen edges with a knife. Turn out on serving platter. Let cool completely before glazing.
Add your glaze or toppings and serve.

Simple Glaze

Blend together until smooth and desired consistency is reached.

Italian Cream

In a mixer bowl beat butter and cream cheese until soft and well combined.
Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
Add extract and mix to blend. Add liquid until smooth and desired consistency is reached.

Chocolate Ganache

For glazing, use while warm. Can be gently rewarmed stove top or in the microwave.
For frosting, chill until desired consistency is reached.
For truffles, chill until solid.
For tea steeped Ganache, add 1 or more tea bags to cream before adding chocolate. Earl Grey, Orange, Lemon, Ginger, Pomegranate, Peppermint, Chai, Raspberry—endless options.

Keyword cake, desserts, easy desserts, pound cake