20 Feb Pound for Pound

Posted at 14:56h in Cooking/Baking by
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As spring approaches, a classic pound cake is a wonderful way to welcome the season. A lighter alternative to the heavier cakes and desserts from the winter holidays, a slice of pound cake pairs beautifully with berries, can be topped with a delicate icing or served simply plain with no adornment. It’s also versatile in that it can be served as breakfast with fresh fruit or as a satisfying treat after dinner.

My favorite go-to recipe for pound cake comes from Ina Garten and when baked in the Nordic Ware cast aluminum pans, the end result is not only a flavorful cake but one that is appealing in presentation which is sure to delight!

The floral pattern of this Nordic Ware cast pan makes a perfect design for spring/summer cakes and breads!

Honey Vanilla Pound Cake (Makes one 8-inch loaf)

Ingredients

  • ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at cool room temperature (let butter sit for about one hour at room temperature)
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 cups sifted cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

 

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven the 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan (if using a Nordic Ware cast pan, parchment paper is not necessary).
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light. Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a glass measuring cup but do not combine. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the egg mixture, one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each egg to become incorporated before adding the next egg.
  3. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter until just combined. Finish mixing the batter with a rubber spatula and pour it into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack and cool completely.
The finished cake!

Special Note: Feature Image for this blog post courtesy of Congerdesign at Pixabay.