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Pound Cake
A full cup of softened butter creams with two and a half cups of sugar until pale and voluminous, then five eggs go in one at a time before flour and milk alternate in. Vanilla or almond extract is the only flavoring — either shifts the character of the finished cake noticeably. The batter bakes low and slow for most of the 240-minute total, building a tight, dense crumb that slices cleanly. Serves 16; the long bake time rewards patience with a sturdy, fine-grained loaf.
Equipment
- Oven
- Stand Mixer
- Cake Pan
Ingredients
- POUND CAKE
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup milk or evaporated milk
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease the bottom, sides, and tube of a 10-inch angel food cake pan, a 12-cup fluted tube pan, or two 9x5-inch loaf pans with shortening, then dust lightly with flour. Proper greasing ensures the dense cake releases cleanly.
- 2Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- 3Combine the granulated sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl constantly.
- 4Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. This long beating time incorporates air for a lighter crumb. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the sugar mixture on low speed, mixing just until smooth after each addition.
- 5Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan or pans.
- 6Bake the tube pan for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or the loaf pans for 55 to 60 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 7Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack. Cool completely for about 2 hours, then dust the top with powdered sugar before slicing.
Notes
- Variation: For a lemon-poppy seed cake, swap the vanilla for 1 teaspoon of lemon extract, and fold 1 tablespoon of grated lemon peel and 1/4 cup of poppy seeds into the batter.
- Variation: Make an orange-coconut version by folding 1 1/3 cups of shredded coconut and 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel into the batter.
- Variation: Create a toasted almond cake by swapping the vanilla for almond extract and folding 1 1/2 cups of toasted slivered almonds into the batter.
- Variation: Stir 1/2 cup of chopped fresh or dried cranberries and 1 teaspoon of grated orange peel into the batter for a cranberry-orange twist.
- Serving: Spoon raspberry sauce over individual slices and top with sweetened whipped cream, or surround the cake with fresh berries for a beautiful presentation.
Recipe Details
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