Classic Pound Cake Recipe

Well, I still could not digest that my vacation is over and I am back to the same old routine. Work -> Home -> Repeat. If you had read my previous post (Baked Wonton wraps with Potato peas masala) you would have known that we were in florida keys to celebrate my birthday. To be precise we spent 3 days in Key West and 1 day in Miami. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Key West, it was a sheer tropical bliss. If you ever plan to visit Key West, I would recommend you to drive from Miami and when there is plenty of daylight. Though it takes 3+ hrs to reach the fag end of United states and you will drive at a speed not more that 55 miles per hour and some times 35, your eyes will thank you for the tropical treat that you will come across.  We reached Miami around 11.30 in the night and we decided to drive to key west the same night. We rented a convertible Mustang and hit the road past midnight. It was pitch dark when we entered one of the five  islands key largo. And from then on we knew we were traveling along the shore. Trust me it was no fun.  All I knew was we were surrounded by sea water on both sides and there were bridges built on the ocean to reach our destination.  One such bridge was 7 mile long. I am not kidding. There was no sign of land when we were driving over that bridge. Damn, it was scary. But my instinct told me that I was missing something in the dark. We realized that it was true when we drove back from Key west to Miami during the day.  The only thing you will see is the gorgeous azure and turquoise ocean,  small inhabited islands in the ocean, coconut and palm trees, quaint little towns and some abandoned bridges. I am fascinated at the creation of humans like those sturdy bridges and God for everything beautiful around me. I just don’t want to take your time today and I shall write about my key west trip in a separate post. BTW, here is a teaser.

Key West - Dry Tortugas

Butterfly Conservatory

Mallory Square

We all know that baking is therapeutic. I have been hooked to it ever since I created this blog. Sweet punch challenge is one event where the gorgeous ladies from blogosphere pick up a recipe every month, bake their favorite goodies and share it in their blog on the chosen date. This is my first sweet punch challenge and I am totally excited about it. This recipe has been taken from a book called ‘The cake bible’. If you are new to baking and want to learn the fundamentals then run to your nearest library and pick up this book. Rose will definitely help you to learn the baking 101’s.

How it tasted?

The husband says this is the best pound cake he ever had. Ofcourse it is. Because this recipe is adapted from the book ‘The cake bible’ written by the Cake Guru Rose Levy Beranbaum. This pound cake isn’t that sweet but tastes out of the world. It is moist and has a perfect crumb. Don’t forget to store them in a airtight container if you are planning to keep them for few days. You can bake them for your kids, husband, friends and it will be a great party dessert. You can serve it with a scoop of ice-cream and fresh fruits and call it a day. Or you can become fancy-shmancy and create a trifle or layered cake with this basic cake recipe. 

Classic Pound Cake Recipe

Prep Time: 20 months, 20 minutes

Cook Time: 60 months, 60 minutes

Total Time: 20 months, 1 hours, 20 minutes

Yield: 1 loaf

Serves: 6 people

Source: The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 3 tablespoon Milk
• 3 large Eggs
• 1 1/2 cup Cake flour (See notes for the Cake flour recipe)
• 3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 13 tablespoon Unsalted butter, softened

Cooking Instruction

• Pick up one large bowl, a medium sized bowl and all the ingredients from your pantry or refrigerator. This way you can ensure that you don\\\\\\\'t regret for not adding an ingredient.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F / 177 C.
• Even if you are using a non stick pan, brush the pan with butter on all sides. I am telling you this from my own experience :) You can also use a normal cake pan or fluted tube pan. But the baking time will vary depending on the pan you use. I have used a pyrex glass loaf pan to bake this pound cake.
• In a large bowl, add vanilla, milk and eggs. Lightly Whisk them to combine. This will be your wet ingredient.
• Take 1 cup of all purpose flour, remove 2 tbsp from it. Now add 2 tbsp of cornstarch/cornflour. Take another 1/2 cup flour, remove 1 tbsp flour from it. Add 1 tbsp Cornstarch/cornflour. In large bowl, combine All purpose flour and cornstarch and sift it for 3 times. This will yield Cake flour. If you have cake flour readily available you can use 1 1/2 cup of cake flour instead of all purpose flour and corn starch.
• Then add baking powder, sugar and salt. Using your hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds. This will smoke up your kitchen. To avoid this, cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towl (ensure that water is not leaking) as you mix. I have used a hand mixer.
• Cut the butter in to small chunks and add it to the dry ingredients along with half of the egg mixture (from step 4).
• Gently mix it until the dry ingredients are moistened using a spatula. Cover the bowl with damp cloth and beat it for one minute on medium speed (I used the speed level 3 on my hand mixer). This step actually helps the batter to aerate and develop a good cake structure.
• Scrape down all the sides. Then add the remaining egg mixture in two batches beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Again scrape down all the sides.
• Now pour the prepared batter into the loaf pan. You will definitely need the help of your spatula to scoop out the batter. Smooth the surface using your spatula.
• Bake for 55-65 minutes until the tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. I have baked this pound cake for 60 minutes. If you are using a flute tube pan the baking time will 35-45 minutes. And as I said earlier, depending on your pan size and the make the baking time will vary.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. And then invert it on a wire rack. Flip the loaf gently. Allow it to cool further before you slice them. And yes this will definitely test your patience.
• And it is a fact that pound cake tastes better the next day.

Notes :

Cake flour Recipe:

Ingredients : 1 1/2 cup All purpose flour + 3 tbsp cornstarch

Method: Basically for every 1 cup flour, remove 2 tbsp flour and add 2 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour. Sif t it for 3 times. In this case, take 1 cup of all purpose flour, remove 2 tbsp from it. Now add 2 tbsp of cornstarch/cornflour. Take another 1/2 cup flour, remove 1 tbsp flour from it. Add 1 tbsp Cornstarch/cornflour. In large bowl, combine All purpose flour and cornstarch and sift it for 3 times. This will yield Cake flour.

A glimpse from my kitchen

• Pick up one large bowl, a medium sized bowl and all the ingredients from your pantry or refrigerator. This way you can ensure that you don’t regret for not adding an ingredient. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 177 C. Even if you are using a non stick pan, brush the pan with butter on all sides. I am telling you this from my own experience   You can also use a normal cake pan or fluted tube pan. But the baking time will vary depending on the pan you use. I have used a pyrex glass loaf pan to bake this pound cake.
• In a large bowl, add vanilla, milk and eggs. Lightly Whisk them to combine. This will be your wet ingredient.

• Take 1 cup of all purpose flour, remove 2 tbsp from it. Now add 2 tbsp of cornstarch/cornflour. Take another 1/2 cup flour, remove 1 tbsp flour from it. Add 1 tbsp Cornstarch/cornflour. In large bowl, combine All purpose flour and cornstarch and sift it for 3 times. This will yield Cake flour. If you have cake flour readily available you can use 1 1/2 cup of cake flour instead of all purpose flour and corn starch.

• Then add baking powder, sugar and salt. Using your hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds. This will smoke up your kitchen. To avoid this, cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towl (ensure that water is not leaking) as you mix. I have used a hand mixer.

• Cut the butter in to small chunks and add it to the dry ingredients along with half of the egg mixture (from step 4).

• Gently mix it until the dry ingredients are moistened using a spatula. Cover the bowl with damp cloth and beat it for one minute on medium speed (I used the speed level 3 on my hand mixer). This step actually helps the batter to aerate and develop a good cake structure.

• Scrape down all the sides. Then add the remaining egg mixture in two batches beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Again scrape down all the sides.

• Now pour the prepared batter into the loaf pan. You will definitely need the help of your spatula to scoop out the batter.

• Smooth the surface using your spatula.

• Bake for 55-65 minutes until the tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. I have baked this pound cake for 60 minutes. If you are using a flute tube pan the baking time will 35-45 minutes. And as I said earlier, depending on your pan size and the make the baking time will vary.

• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. And then invert it on a wire rack. Flip the loaf gently. Allow it to cool further before you slice them. And yes this will definitely test your patience.

• And it is a fact that pound cake tastes better the next day.

• 
• Slice it and Enjoy.

And here is the link to few of my friend’s blog who participated in the Sweet punch challenge. Sneak a peak into their pound cake creation.

Ria of Ria’s Tried Tested Trusted

Nags of Edible Garden

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