bake this: martha’s pound cake
There’s nothing more classic and comforting than pound cake. Whether your baking lemon poppy, chocolate cinnamon swirl or luscious pumpkin, the pound cake is quintessential dessert fare. When I set out on my journey to indulge my gastronomic cravings in 2002, Nigella Lawson’s Madeira version was the first hint of vanilla that perfumed my kitchen, my first cake pan unearthed from the oven.
Today I’m revisiting on old favorite, courtesy of Martha Stewart, in preparation for my EPIC dessert: Giada’s Chocolate Chestnut Mousse Trifle. As I’m not keen on using store-bought pound cake (who’s to say you won’t bring home a loaf ridden with hydrogenated oils and HFCS?!), I decided to quickly fix my own.
Although Martha’s recipe doesn’t call for the requisite pound of sugar, butter, and flour, this version is absolutely moist and unbelievably delicious. So whether you’re new to the kitchen or want to serve a rustic mainstay, I implore you to consider the POUND CAKE.
INGREDIENTS: adapted from the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
Makes one 9-by-5-inch loaf
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Put butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and finish off by folding the batter in the stand mixer. You’ll notice in the picture that the loaf looks much like a BLOB — that’s due to the fact that folding incorporates air into the mixture, ensuring a moist loaf.
Spoon batter into prepared pan, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is golden and a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack, and let cool completely. Before serving, dust cake with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Cake can be stored at room temperature, wrapped well in plastic, up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes: When baking something simple, the secret is in the ingredients. I implore you to get the best eggs, cane sugar, and butter you can muster. Ensure that ALL of your ingredients are at room temperature, as this will yield a moist, evenly-baked loaf.
UPDATE: I guess I should have seen this coming, but with six eggs and two cups of flour, the loaf, while DELICIOUS, is not appropriate for a trifle. This is the kind of pound cake best served with jam, as it’s light with a bit of a custard flair (not texture). For the trifle I’ve secured a traditional loaf.
