Flexible Pound Cake with Variations
Source of Recipe
rgm
List of Ingredients
oz cream cheese
1 pound butter
3 cups sugar
6 whole eggs
3 cups flour (all purpose-sift in if you like)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (for vanilla pound cake and cocoa only)
Recipe
2-3 hours ahead:
allow butter and cream cheese to warm to room temperature
Just before starting:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare cake pan by buttering and flouring it. Set it aside
Personal notes:
I love mixing by hand so I use a wooden spoon and shallow, large stainless steel bowls. You can do it with an electric mixer or mixing bowl. I just prefer hand mix
I love double strength vanilla so that's what I use. I also use saltless butter because it enhances the taste significantly. Just my preferences.
Instructions:
In a large mix bowl, put butter, cream cheese and sugar. Mix well until mixture is a light yellow.
Add eggs, two at a time and mix well. Add vanilla if vanilla cake is where you're going. Add another type of extract if you are trying variations. (see variations).
Add flour, 1 cup at a time, sifted in if you like.*
(*variations can be made after this)
Move batter into cake pan. If the pan is a bundt, make sure it is evenly distributed. Smooth top.
Put cake into a 400 degree oven in the middle of the rack. After 10 minutes, turn oven down to 375 degrees. Check often to make sure top doesn't cook too fast or cover with foil to deter burning. Cook for about 45 minutes or until fork/toothpick comes away clean. Note: cooking time is approximate. Different ingredients/stove types/pans may lessen or lengthen cook time so it might help to keep a close eye the first time.
Variations:
Lemon- add lemon juice (about 1/2 cup-increase flour by the same amount). Also, add lemon zest or a bit of the peel if desired (about 1 tablespoon.
Almond- add minced almonds and replace vanilla extract with almond. You can also add candied cherries or dried currants/cherries.
Cocoa-add 1/2 cup of cocoa-increase flour by the same amount. Add 1/2 cup each of chocolate chips and raisins. Note: This cake does have vanilla extract which makes it even better. Wonderful!
Haitian delight- add candied cherries and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
If you have your own variations, please try them. This is a versatile cake. Caution: This is a HUGE cake- about 25 modest slices and 40 (40!) thin slices. Great holiday cake.
I don't ice it because it is so rich but if you want to do it , do it. This is a "to your taste" cake.
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