Wednesday, April 22, 2009

perfect pound cake


this pound cake is so perfect, buttery, dense (as a pound cake should be) and yummy. i always intend on baking it up and using it to make a parfait with custard, whipped cream and strawberries, but always end up just eating it by itself because it's so good!

mise en place

perfect pound cake
makes 1 loaf
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups cake flour, measured and sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

butter and flour a 9" loaf pan. make sure to tap out any excess flour.

in a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside. combine the cream and vanilla in a cup and set aside.

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes pale, light and fluffy. add the eggs and yolk, one at time, making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next. add the flour in 3 batches, alternating with the cream, beginning and ending with the flour. mix until everything is well incorporated but do not over mix.


pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula.

put the loaf pan in a COLD oven (you do not preheat the oven for this recipe!). turn on the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 60 - 70 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

cool in the pan, on a wire rack for 5-10 mins. invert and cool completely on wire rack before serving.

bon appétit~!

14 comments:

  1. I love your mise en place photo. I think it is so minimalistic and intriguing.

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  2. This is so lovely! I need to make a dessert tomorrow, and although I had settled on some muffins, I think that I've now changed my mind!

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  3. Lovely! For one thing, I can't tell you how gratifying it is to see a pound cake with the perfect crumb and not an ounce of shortening in the recipe! Thank you!

    Kate

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  4. That pound cake does look perfect!

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  5. man. i need to get myself a loaf pan.

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  6. its friday night. i had absolutely no desire to go out, mingle, or be a busy body. i made myself this delicious lb. cake and it is SOOOO good!

    THANK YOU for making my friday night.

    lb. cake, chammomile tea, & a good book... perfect. :)

    esther.

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  7. thank you all for your comments!

    esther, i'm so glad you made & enjoyed it! what a perfect friday night!

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  8. Gorgeous. I'm making this for a friend's birthday on Monday. He requested pound cake and your's looks divine!

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  9. Just made this Pound cake. HOLY DELICIOUSNESS!
    This totally going to be one of my top recipes! I added a few drops of orange juice , but regardless it's really good!!! 5 stars!thnkkk uuu

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  10. I was double checking on whether a cold oven or not and found your recipe. It is very similar to my mothers recipe. She used two sticks of butter, two cups of sugar, two cups of flour, 1 tsp vanilla 6 eggs and a dash of salt if using unsalted butter. Not needed with salted butter. Also put in a cold oven at 350 degrees. Otherwise the recipe is almost the same - when I wanted it extra rich and dense I add a cup of sour cream at the end. It is wonderful also.
    She always cooked hers in a ring pan where the bottom has the center ring and comes free of the sides - like a bundt pan only two pieces and very smooth sides. Thanks for the memories.
    Sylvia

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  11. Well, what can I say? This is an important recipe, my wife always do the same at home and she knows a lot of recipes, perhaps, I will recommend this blog to her and we'll get more experience about this things. 2j3j

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  12. hello i would like to read more about this interesting topic.

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  13. Made this pound cake. Consider myself a good baker however this was the best PC I have ever made. I did add 1 tsp of baking powder as I thought it was an error omitting it in the recipe and I did place it in a 325 degree oven as the oven was already in use. I got an amazing half in crust that just added to the wonderfulness (is that even a word) to this cake.

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  14. This is the best pound cake i have ever had. Merci.

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