Ba was my maternal grandmother and she probably made this pound cake once a week. It was almost always around, there on the counter by the refrigerator, under the aluminum cake dome with the wooden acorn knob on top. It is a dense cake -- but pure, basic goodness -- requiring no frosting. If somehow it stays around long enough to get stale, it's good toasted.
The original pound cake required a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, and a pound of eggs. That makes this a half pound cake.
2 sticks butter (1/2 pound) at room temperature (softish but not melting)
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 cups flour (unbleached -- and I don't sift)
5 eggs (also at room temperature)
1 tablespoon vanilla
That was Ba's recipe -- I have taken to adding the following in these approximate amounts:
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cream butter and sugar thoroughly, by hand or with an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Add flour and (optional) spices; mix in; add vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
Put batter in very well-greased tube pan. Put in cold oven; turn to 350 F; bake one hour.
Turn out to cooling rack but be sure to try a slice while it's still warm.
The original pound cake required a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, and a pound of eggs. That makes this a half pound cake.
2 sticks butter (1/2 pound) at room temperature (softish but not melting)
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 cups flour (unbleached -- and I don't sift)
5 eggs (also at room temperature)
1 tablespoon vanilla
That was Ba's recipe -- I have taken to adding the following in these approximate amounts:
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cream butter and sugar thoroughly, by hand or with an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Add flour and (optional) spices; mix in; add vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
Put batter in very well-greased tube pan. Put in cold oven; turn to 350 F; bake one hour.
Turn out to cooling rack but be sure to try a slice while it's still warm.
No comments:
Post a Comment