American Kitchen Classic Basic Pound Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the pan of your choice.
• Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. Whisk the whole eggs, yolks, milk, and the vanilla together in a 4-cup measuring cup or bowl, and set aside. In a heavy duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at a medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually pour in the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, to cream and lighten the butter. (This should take about 3 minutes.) Once all the sugar is added, turn the machine off and scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula. Continue to beat the butter mixture until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the lemon zest and beat for 30 seconds more.
• Turn the machine off and scrape the sides of the bowl again to assure even incorporation of the ingredients. Turn the mixer to its lowest setting. Gradually pour in the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat the batter for 30 seconds. Gradually add the egg mixture. (It should take about a minute to pour all of it into the batter.) Remove the bowl from the mixer, scrape any batter off the paddle, and finish stirring the egg mixture into the batter with a rubber spatula. Take care not to over mix the batter, but make sure that you scrape the bottom of the bowl to evenly incorporate all of the ingredients.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth over the top with a spatula. Put the cake in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the top springs back when lightly pressed, about 1 hour and 30 minutes, for the tube or Bundt pans; and 50 minutes to 1 hour for loaf pans.
• Cool the cake, in the pan, on a rack, for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a flat plate or cardboard. Re-invert the cake and set it right side up on the rack to cool completely. If not serving the same day, wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature, for 4 to 5 days or freeze for 1 month.

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Using a pastry brush, thoroughly coat an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-3/4-inch loaf pan with 1 tbsp softened butter. Line the bottom with a rectangle of parchment.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt and whisk thoroughly.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed until thickened and lightened in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Clean the bowl of the stand mixer and fit it with the paddle attachment.
• Beat the butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mix 1 minute longer. Add the sugar 1 to 2 tbsp at a time, taking about 4 minutes to add it all and scraping the bowl as needed.
• Still on medium-low speed, slowly add half of the beaten eggs, taking about 2 minutes to add them. Scrape the bowl as needed and beat for 30 seconds more.
• Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the remaining eggs (divide the flour into 3 parts and the eggs into 2 parts), mixing just until each addition is incorporated. Scrape the bowl and beat on medium low for 10 seconds more.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with the back of a large soup spoon, making sure to reach well into the corners. Bang the pan on the counter two times to remove any air pockets.
• Bake the cake until the top is golden-brown, the sides begin to pull away from the pan, and a thin wooden skewer inserted slightly off center into the cake (not into the crack) comes out clean, 1 hour and 20 to 25 minutes.
• During the last 15 minutes of baking, lightly spray a 12-inch strip of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray and rest it loosely on top of the cake. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan.
• Dust the top with confectioners' sugar and use a serrated knife to cut the cake into 1/2-inch slices.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch (or larger) loaf pans and set aside.
• Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder two times and set aside.
• With an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Stir only until thoroughly blended.
• Pour batter into the prepared pans, making sure to divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Level tops with an offset spatula. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan about 10 minutes; then remove to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan or 2 8 x 5-inch (20 x 12 cm) loaf pans with nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
• In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and salt. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for about 6 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat again for 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• With the mixer running on low speed, add the buttermilk and vanilla. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 30 seconds.
• Add ⅓ of the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Add ½ of the sour cream and beat until incorporated. Continue alternating additions of flour and sour cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Beat on medium speed after all of the flour is incorporated for about 1 minute, until the batter is well combined.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan or divide between the loaf pans and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted to the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan(s) for 15-20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and unmold from the pan(s). Let cool completely.
• Slice and serve.
• Enjoy!
• RECIPE BY: Morgan Baker

Steps:

• Set oven rack to center position and preheat to 325 degrees f.
• Grease a standard 9x5x3 metal loaf pan with crisco or softened butter-- dust with flour.
• Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
• Place butter in your mixing bowl and beat until smooth, creamy and light colored-- 30 seconds on a stand mixer, 60 seconds by hand.
• Gradually add sugar and beat until butter is very white and fluffy.
• About 3 minutes on your stand mixer, 5 mins by hand.
• It's critical that everything is at room temperature at this point, feel the outside of the mixing bowl-- if it's too cool then allow it to sit until it reaches room temperature.
• Add the whole eggs, one at a time and beat for 20 seconds after each addition.
• The mixture should be dull and smooth at this point.
• If it appears grainy and/or curdled then the temperature is probably too cold for the eggs to combine properly with the butter.
• Allow it to warm then rebeat for a few seconds.
• This is critical for this cake as there is no chemical levener and having the eggs and butter properly mixed is the only thing that will give this cake structure and allow it to rise.
• DO NOT OVERBEAT, It will make the cake tough.
• Add vanilla extract and beat for a few more seconds.
• Sift the flour in three equal parts into the butter/sugar/egg mixture, folding gently into the after each addition until all the flour has been incorporated and the batter is well mixed.
• Be sure to scrape up from the bottom of the bowl frequently.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 70 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway thru the baking process.
• In 70 minutes test the cake with a wooden toothpick.
• If it's not done continue to bake and check every 5 minutes.
• Cool on rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 900g loaf tin with parchment paper (mine was 19cm x 9cm x 6cm). Put all of the ingredients except those for the icing into a large bowl and beat together, either using an electric hand whisk or a wooden spoon until smooth and combined. Pour the mix into the loaf tin and spread evenly with the back of spoon. Bake for 40 - 45 mins.
• Once out of the oven, leave to cool and make the icing. Combine the icing sugar and vanilla paste with three tbsp of water - you may need more but add it gradually to get a thick icing. Spread it over the top of the cake; it's fine if it drips down the edges. Allow to set and then slice.