My First Try at Poundcake

[aruzinsky]

This is from The American Woman's Cook Book.
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1 lb butter
1 lb sifted cake flour
1 lb sugar
10 separated eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, gradually add flour until meally. Beat yolks, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in first mixture. Fold in stiffly beaten eggwhites. Beat vigorisly 5 min.. Bake in 2 8" x 4" loaf pans lined with waxed paper at 325 deg. F., 1.25 hrs..
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I haven't baked a cake for about 5 years and am getting rusty, so I decided to make poundcake, which I had never done before. I don't particularly like poundcake, but it does have some sentimental value because my grandmother used to make it often. As a child, I thought it was called "poundcake" because it was so heavy.

My first problem was that I didn't have 8" x 4" loaf pans. Initially, I chose the smaller in the pic below, but when the batter was ready, I switched to the larger. The second problem was that the rubber tip of my old spatula was brittle and broke off little pieces into the batter. I caught this before adding the eggwhites. I solved this problem by forcing the batter through a strainer using my hand. Incidentally, although not a problem, the first stage of the batter was nowhere near "mealy" but soft and creamy. And, yes, I did weigh the ingredients.



The taste is okay, except I used salty butter, which actually makes it taste more greasy. It is a little dry. It is very filling. Also, I should lower the oven temperature because the sides are too brown.

Next time, after I eat all this, I will make modifications and post results.

[Brooksy]

Aruzinsky,

Results look good. From your text, I can see I was grossly misled when told to "bung all ingredients in the bowl and mix 'em up". :roll:

Never going to do that again.

If it lasts long enough, it goes well with rich custard. :)


Brooksy

[aruzinsky]

Originally Posted by Brooksy

Aruzinsky,

Results look good. From your text, I can see I was grossly misled when told to "bung all ingredients in the bowl and mix 'em up". :roll:

Never going to do that again.

If it lasts long enough, it goes well with rich custard. :)


Brooksy

You can cut the cake lengthwise in the horizontal plane into 2 or 3 slices and sandwich the slices back together with rich custard between layers. That way you can have your cake and eat it with custard too.

[mudbug]

aruzinsky, another way to cut the dryness would be to make a simple syrup, flavor it with fruit puree, and add some of the same fresh fruit as a topping.

[jkath]

In case you're looking for another pound cake recipe, look at my family's recipe I posted. It's in the "General" topic, under Kyles' posting about "I got a new cookbook & I have a question for you"

My family has made this poundcake for more years than I've been around, and it has always been beautiful, moist, and yummy!

[aruzinsky]

Originally Posted by jkath

In case you're looking for another pound cake recipe, look at my family's recipe I posted. It's in the "General" topic, under Kyles' posting about "I got a new cookbook & I have a question for you"

My family has made this poundcake for more years than I've been around, and it has always been beautiful, moist, and yummy!

Originally Posted by jkath

The Family Pound Cake

1/2 lb. butter
1/2 c. Crisco
3 c. sugar
1 tsp. each: vanila, almond & lemon extracts
6 eggs
1 c. milk
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt

Sift together flour, bkg powder & salt. Set aside.
Preheat to 325f.
Cream butter & crisco. Add sugar & cream it till it's light & fluffy. Add extracts & blend. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, a little at a time, beating continuously.
Bake 1-1/2 hours in a greased tube pan.

Thank you. I don't think that technically qualifies as poundcake. Do you know that the trans fatty acids in Crisco aren't good for you? Worse than butter.

[Brooksy]

By Gee, jkath's recipe looks nice.

A couple of questions if I may....

What's Crisco? Is it shortening (or does it stay the same length )?

The name may be in dispute, but if you use a metric cup then you end up with a pound of flour, 6 BIG eggs = lb (almost), 3 cups of sugar is a bit over but close enough.

Plenty of pounds there....

Brooksy

[Audeo]

Crisco is, indeed, an American brand of vegetable shortening.

[Brooksy]

Thanks Audeo,

My other question was, "What are trans fatty acids"?

Realising I didn't post it, I googled :

http://www.americanheart.org/present...dentifier=4776

A real Catch 22.

What happens when a liquid oil is used in cakes?

[debthecook]

Add 1 cup sour cream.