SC Essentials: Perfect Pound Cake

I need to dispel a rumor that’s been running rampant for far too long.

Pound cake is not boring.

I know how it looks to the untrained eye: a vanilla cake devoid of frosting. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yes, pound cake is traditionally served without frosting, but I ensure you, my little cookies, it does not need it. And if you believe otherwise, then it’s for one of two reasons:

1. You’ve never had pound cake.
2. You’ve never had a good pound cake.

Let’s look at the facts here: I have what it possibly the most insatiable sweet in existence. If I can be pleased by a pound cake, then anyone can. In fact, pound cake is my very favorite kind of cake. Sure, I love chocolate cake and carrot cake and all kinds of other tantalizing flavors, but what I really love is pound cake’s sweet simplicity, the fact that it is so buttery, moist, dense, an delicious that it doesn’t need frosting. Would I eat any other flavor of cake without the frosting? Probably not. (Eh…okay, I probably would, but only if I had no other choice and only because I love cake. I would still much prefer them with frosting)

Having a good pound cake recipe is absolutely essential. As a baker, it’s a treat you’ve always got to have in your bag of tricks. For one, it’s dead simple to make, possibly the easiest kind of cake to make ever. There is nothing better than whipping up a loaf (or a bundt cake) and indulging in a fresh, warm slice slathered in butter. That is simplicity at its finest.

But the possibilities don’t stop there. Pound cake is good for a plethora of treats. For example:

1. It’s great for cubing and putting int trifles
2. You can dunk chunks of it in chocolate fondue
3. Serve slices for breakfast with butter and jam
4. Bake it in a bundt pan and inundate with a luscious glaze
5. Add chocolate chips or nuts to the batter
6. Serve with coffee
7. Frost it
8. Sandwich two slices with Nutella

I could go on and on. There is nothing more heavenly than a slice of good pound cake, and this Perfect Pound Cake recipe is the king of them all. My lord, it is SO MOIST and rich with a perfect sweet, buttery flavor. It’s dense and delicious, but still light enough that you don’t have to choke it down. On the contrary, this baby melts in your mouth.

Look at this crumb! It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Dense, moist perfection.

I honestly could not stop fawning over its gorgeous, ideal texture when I cut the first slice. Turns out, some people (my mother) will judge you for going gaga over the beauty of a cake’s interior.

People just don’t understand me.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

1. Don’t over bake! You’ll lose that wonderful moist texture.
2. This recipe is huge, made to fill a bundt cake pan. You can, however, easily cut it in half to make a loaf pan (that’s what I did).
3. A touch of almond extract or lemon zest would be divine.
4. Couldn’t you just see a luscious chocolate drizzle over this baby? Mmm.
5. Yes, there is a lot of butter. Yes, there is also shortening. Pound cake is just not one of those things you skimp on. The flavor and moist crumb cannot be compromised! Indulge in a slice of this and worry about working it off on the treadmill tomorrow; it’s worth it!

Perfect Pound Cake
Recipe adapted from Paula Deen of Food Network

Yield: 1 6-cup bundt cake or cut in half to make a 1lb. loaf pan

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter softened, plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 6-cup bundt pan or tube pan. Set aside.
2. With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla. Pour into pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
3. Let cool completely before inverting pan and removing cake.

Pssst…stop back tomorrow to see something truly special to do with this pound cake (hint: it involves chocolate!).