There was a time when the aroma of a pound cake, baking in my oven on the 4th of July would have made me sad, and very homesick. Yesterday, I cherished the memories. I had been thinking about pound cake a while, longing for it, really. Then the time came to make one.I turned to the first cookbook I ever had, a church one, with local ladies' recipes, given to me by the minister. There are 9 pound cake recipes in it, including sour cream pound cake, lemon pound cake, chocolate pound cake, marble pound cake, brown sugar pound cake, whipped cream pound cake, along with several icings, frostings, and glazes. I chose a buttermilk pound cake bacause I had all the ingredients on hand. Technically, I should call this a "Half Pound Cake".
Buttermilk Pound Cake
1 c. butter, room temperature
2 c. sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch salt
3 c. all purpose flour, sifted before measuring
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Generously butter and flour a tube pan, shaking out excess flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together, the butter and sugar until pale, light, and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time.
Measure buttermilk and pour into a small bowl, then add the baking soda. It will become active and expand quicky, so make sure you have room. Think about those elementary school volcano experiments.
Add the salt to the sifted flour, then begin combining the buttermilk and the flour into the butter mixture, one third at a time, mixing well after each addition. When all is combined and mixed well, stir in the vanilla.
My grandmother did not have a KitchenAid mixer, and made the most beautiful cakes using only this hand beater. (Stamped onto the wheel of this beater are the words, "HIGH SPEED SUPER CENTER DRIVE BEATER. Ekco USA."
Thank goodness I have an electric hand mixer to help with my work.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and put into preheated oven. Bake for about 55-65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Pound cake is a good dessert for summer celebrations and family reunions, when many dishes are being served. It is delicious served with fresh summer fruit and homemade ice cream.
I am sharing this recipe with Cookbook Sunday, at Melynda's blog, Mom's Sunday Cafe.
This looks fantastic! I'm always looking for a really good buttermilk pound cake recipe. I've tried a few and not liked them one bit! Hopefully this will be the one!
ReplyDeleteThe batter looks gorgeous! I love batter shots.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting Niki and Steph. Your comments mean a lot to me.
ReplyDeleteOoooh, that pound cake looks good. Hopefully you can add some happier memories to this recipe. I've never made a pound cake in a tube pan, but I've always got a bit of buttermilk left in the fridge so I'd love to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteMargie, my memories are very happy ones, but you are right, building some new ones around this traditional cake is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteDon't ya'll get homesick in Wisconsin?
Wow....That antique-looking hand beater from your grandma is priceless!!! If I ever own one of those, I'll definitely have to try to make a cake from it, at least once! I can't imagine how my arm's muscle must feel like after making a cake, like pound cake using that hand beater!!!
ReplyDeleteRocquie, thanks for sharing this great post and recipe with Cookbook Sundays! I have never made a pound cake, but I am sure that will change now, thanks!
ReplyDelete