The name "pound cake" comes from a traditional American pound cake recipe that calls for one "pound" (about 450 grams) of each ingredient: butter, flour, sugar, and eggs. Well, this name definitely trumps "super size". Whether you're looking for an authentic "pound" recipe or something more accommodating for a normal get-together, here are the ingredients you need.
Ingredients
Original ''Pound Cake'
- 1 pound (455 g) butter
- 1 pound (455 g) granulated sugar
- 1 pound (455 g) wheat flour
- 10 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon (pinch) nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) brandy (optional)
'' Pound Cake " Chunks (Loaf)
- 1 measuring spoon (2 sticks or about 225 grams) room temperature unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 measuring spoon (225 grams) sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (pinch) salt
- Grated lemon and/or orange to taste
- Other additives
'Pound Cake' Simple
- 3/4 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 measuring spoon of sugar
- 3/4 measuring spoon of flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
Step
Method 1 of 3: Original "Pound Cake"
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC
Coat your pan with cooking spray or grease it with butter (this recipe is pretty large -- but pound cakes are perfect for double layered masterpieces); this prevents the cake from sticking to the pan. You can dust it with flour (over a layer of butter) or line it with parchment paper.
Step 2. Weigh each dry ingredient
Doing this first will make the cake baking process a lot smoother. Also reduces the chances of the baking process getting messy!
Step 3. Crack each egg and place it in a separate bowl
Make sure that each egg is still in good condition and there is no blood on the yolk. If necessary, remove shell debris.
Step 4. Beat butter until soft and half fluffy
Beat with a mixer or manual whisk until soft and semi-fluffy. This step is "very important"; if you skip it, you may not get the dough consistency it should be. Add the sugar a little at a time and keep beating until it is half fluffy.
This will be easiest to do if your butter is not whipped right out of the fridge. Don't heat the butter -- but let it sit for a few minutes before you start, until it's near room temperature
Step 5. Add eggs (beaten until thick and lemon colored), flour, mace and brandy (optional)
If you don't like the taste of brandy, you can substitute vanilla or another flavor.
- Mace is not the same as pepper -- though it makes for an interesting pound cake flavor. On the other hand, mace comes from the skin of nutmeg, if you don't have it, you can replace it with regular nutmeg (but mace has a stronger taste).
- Add flour "slowly". If you pour them all at once, you'll be up against a fierce (uhm, stirring) fight. Add little by little.
Step 6. Stir vigorously for five minutes
However, this is only an estimate -- if you start to feel that the dough is going to be over-kneading, then feel free to stop. This is a very thin line, your cake may not rise enough.
If you're using a mixer, use the lowest setting -- what you want is for air to circulate in the dough
Step 7. Pour the batter into the pan, then put it in the oven
Bake for 75 minutes, checking periodically. Some ovens bake unevenly or quickly -- if this describes your oven, then keep an eye on the baking process.
- If you're using it for garnishing cakes, bake for 30 to 35 minutes in a not-so-deep pan.
- Insert a skewer or toothpick to see if the cake is done. If the skewer when you pull it out is dry, it means the cake is done. Place it upside down on a wire rack so that it cools and can be removed from the pan easily.
Step 8. Sprinkle according to taste
Even though it tastes good right now, this cake is also delicious served with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar and/or added strawberry or raspberry syrup. Anything that tastes a little sweet can be added on top.
Another delicious way to eat pound cake is with coffee for breakfast or eaten with ice cream and chocolate syrup for a delicious dessert
Method 2 of 3: "Pound Cake" Chunks
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC
Before you begin, take your loaf pan and grease the bottom and sides with butter. Then sprinkle lightly with flour. This will ensure that the cake comes out of the pan easily.
Another option is to use parchment paper, which you can cut to size and slide into the bottom of the pan
Step 2. Beat butter and eggs together until soft and half fluffy
Hopefully your butter is at room temperature, otherwise it will be difficult to mix the two together. It's important to do this until the mixture is soft, thick and semi-fluffy, -- but not beyond this point. You'll know if you shake it manually.
Using the mixer on high speed will save your arm from cursing the day you volunteer to be a dessert maker
Step 3. Add the eggs (one at a time), vanilla, and salt to the butter-sugar mixture
Stir well after each egg (about 15 seconds) before adding the next one. Then switch to vanilla and salt.
At this point, you can add grated lemon/orange rind or other additions. Dried fruit, nuts and chocolate chips go well with this dessert. But this cake is also delicious without any additions
Step 4. Gradually add flour little by little
If you just pour it all in, either your muscles or your mixer will protest. If you are using a mixer, set it on a low setting.
- Some cooking schools swear by the importance of sifting. If you have time, consider sifting your flour before adding it.
- Don't over-knead the dough! As soon as the dough looks like it's done, stop immediately. You don't want the dough to lose its lightness.
Step 5. Bake for 1 hour
Or, of course, until the cake is done. Stick a toothpick in the center to see if the cake is done -- if the toothpick comes out dry, you can take it out. Remove from oven and let cool "in the pan" for about 15 minutes.
If you think the cake is turning brown too quickly, you can cover the pan with aluminum foil to slow down this process
Step 6. Allow to cool upside down on a wire rack
The cake will come off the pan once it is ready. As you prepare to serve it, consider sprinkling in additional ingredients. Although it is delicious served with just a cup of coffee, this cake is also perfect served with sliced fruit, whipped cream, or whatever you want. Pound cake can accommodate most sweets.
A light sprinkle of powdered sugar is also something that's pretty standard. Sometimes, something simple is more classic
Step 7. Done
Method 3 of 3: Simple Pound Cake
Step 1. Leave the butter at room temperature to soften
Try not to let the butter melt. Place the parchment paper on the cake tin then preheat the oven to 170ºC.
If you don't have time to let the butter come to room temperature, use the microwave to heat it for a few seconds
Step 2. Stir the butter with a spatula until smooth and creamy
Add sugar to the dough. The dough should now be a little grainy.
Step 3. Stir in the eggs
Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture. Stir. Sift flour and baking powder then add to the mixture.
Step 4. Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the surface with a spatula
Bake the dough in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Step 5. Remove the cake after baking
Cut the cake down the middle, then bake for another 20 minutes. Once cooked, cool the cake on a wire rack.
Step 6. Serve
This cake will taste even better with sweet vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit, especially strawberries!
Tips
- The baking sheet should be evenly greased with butter so that the cake comes out in a beautiful shape.
- If the butter is still hard, let it sit for a while in a warm room. This will make it easier to weigh and shake. If you don't have time to do this, then heat it in the microwave for ten seconds. No more!
- If all the ingredients are pre-prepared, the kneading will finish faster.
- Flour has different thickening properties. For this reason, it is best if each time you unwrap a new flour, you try to make one small cake, as the stated amount of flour may not produce the perfect lump. In winter, cakes can be made using less flour than in summer.
- Pastry flour contains more starch and less gluten than flour for making bread, resulting in a lighter, softer cake.
Warning
- Keep an eye on the cake as it bakes. Make sure the heat in the oven is regular and spreads evenly.
- Don't use coarse granulated sugar; This will give the cake a rough texture with a hard crust.
- Do not stir the cake after the last kneading.
