TASTY TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2021 . . . . . .NATIONAL POUND CAKE DAY is coming up on Thursday, March 4, 2021. DELICIOUS! Pound cake is an easy cake to make but if you’ve never had pound cake, you have been missing out. Pound cake does not need any frosting or glaze, not even a powdered sugar dusting. It’s not too sweet tasting, has a moist and rather dense but light texture and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy a slice of pound cake. It’s good served with fresh fruit but is just as tasty eaten plain.
Some recipes can be a little costly to make but after raising 4 children pretty much by myself on a limited income, I can tell you from experience that there are ways to be frugal while enjoying the luxurious food pleasures of life. ???? I’ll be sharing not only recipes but also good alternatives to some ingredients and how to make the most of your food budget, which are all great to know and use whether you are struggling financially or you have all the money you ever dreamed of. Please try the pound cake. It’s definitely worth the effort. MAKE A NOTE: You may cut this recipe in half and make 1 loaf pan AND you may wrap it tightly and freeze one or freeze leftovers if you want.
POUND CAKE
There’s enough batter here for either an “angel food cake pan” with the removable sides or 2 8’x8”x3” loaf pans. Just make sure you butter (or shortening or baking pan spray) the sides and dust with a little flour (the pan spray already has the flour in it).
Ingredients
2 – 3 cups granulated sugar (If you prefer a less sweet cake, use 2 cups or if you only have 2 cups sugar, it’s fine to use just 2 cups)
4 – 5 large eggs (5 eggs adds to the texture, but I’ve used 4 eggs many times and am very happy with the texture results)
2 – 3 sticks margarine (Again, the texture for this. Granni is perfect with either amount, using 3 sticks makes it a richer cake)
3 cups All-Purpose flour, sifted 3 times (This is an old recipe, so they suggest sifting, most of the flours we buy today are pre-sifted – sifting makes a lighter cake so for pound cake I usually do sift my flour at least once)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup commercial sour cream OR buttermilk (either works so whichever you prefer or have in your refrigerator is fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
2 teaspoons butter flavoring (optional) (gives your cake a more buttery flavor since you are using margarine)
Instructions
- In a separate bowl cream together the margarine, softened, and the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.
- Add the baking soda to the sour cream or buttermilk in a larger bowl. Add sifted flour together with the baking powder and salt alternately with the sugar mixture. Add the flavorings. Mix.
- In prepared pans (if you have and use parchment paper, you can add parchment paper to the loaf pans with a little over the edge to make removing from the pan easier when cake is cooled but not necessary) put the batter. Smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hours. Test by lightly touching the top (it should feel baked) or test with a cake tester which should come out clean.
- Let cool before removing from pan(s) and slicing. Please ENJOY!
BAKER’S NOTES:
Use margarine for this recipe, not butter. Butter is made with milk; margarine is made with a vegetable oil. Margarine is not only 3 times cheaper in price than butter (generally), but it provides the fat needed in baking and the taste is usually no different.
If you are an experienced, long time baker you remember the sifters you had to turn a handle to push the flour through the mesh sieve. Today, modern bakers just use a mesh sieve and tap the edges over the bowl or in separate bowl to “sift” the flour. Sifting helps make sure there are not small “clumps” of flour in your batter.
Another fun option to this pound cake is to add orange extract instead of the almond and lemon extracts. You may also add fresh orange juice and orange zest if you have an orange needing to be used.
Serving this delicious cake is up to you, fresh fruit, jam, honey butter, lemon curd, or even your favorite ice cream! ????
Bon Appetite’ with love,
To download this recipe, click here.