It was challenging. We braved lack of sufficient vanilla extract, too-small eggs, frequent power cuts that had me beat mixture in 5 intervals, and amma didn’t have a loaf pan (her regular cake pan was too big for this amount of batter) so we improvised by using a steel vessel lined with aluminium foil. In hindsight, we could have made use of the method used in this steamed chocolate cake recipe.
Thankfully the power stayed put while the cake was baking and it came out lovely, crumbly, and perfect as the recipe says. Our crust cracked but turned a lovely golden brown. What you see in the picture in an overturned cake.
We have chosen a recipe from The Cake Bible
, where Rose has come up with a new method of baking the pound cake, very different from the butter-sugar creaming and wet+dry ingredients, the usual cake route. This method, according to Rose, ensures a tight crumb.
Perfect Pound Cake Recipe
Recipe source: The Cake Bible
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Milk
3 large Eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla essence
1 ½ cups sifted cake flour (150gm) – recipe for cake flour below
¾ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
13 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (184 gms)
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Butter an 8 inch by 4 by 2.5 inch loaf pan, or any six cup loaf or fluted tube pan.
2. Lightly whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl.
3. Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, until blended. Add the butter and half the egg mixture, and mix until dry ingredients are moistened. On medium speed, beat for one minute. This will aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down sides.
4. Add the remaining egg mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds between each addition. Scrape down sides.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth surface with a spatula. Bake for 55-65 minutes (35-45 minutes if baking in a fluted tube pan), until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool on a rack in the pan for 10 minuets before inverting onto a greased wire rack. If using a loaf pan, flip the cake over so the top is up.
For making cake flour at home – Take one cup of all purpose flour and remove 2 tbsp from it.Replace the 2 tbsp flour with cornflour and sift together 2-3 times. Cake flour is ready to use.
I baked this yesterday in a simple round steel Tiffin dabba and followed the steps you have listed exactly (for a change!). The result was absolutely perfect and so delicious! Thank you!!!
so glad to hear this!
What does vanilla mean in this recipe – Vanilla ice cream , vanilla essence?
Sugar should be powdered or unpowdered?
i meant vanilla essence. thanks for checking, i have updated the recipe
oh, and that comment was for milkmaid pound cake… so well, its just me to mess up 😉
haha by rice atta do you mean rice flour or atta? either ways, it's fab it worked out!
I made a hugeish blunder.. ended up using rice atta instead of maida due to similar packets and colour.. and i wanted to crryyy when I realized my mistake and the cake was happily sitting in the oven. so i took a nice long breath and let it bake for 30 mins.. guess what, not only did it rise but no one could find a mistake with it.. heh.. crust was slightly burnt, but could get away since it was perfectly crusty.. so yea, anything with milkmaid in it, can't go wrong, eh? 😉
oh interesting. yes, this pound cake was definitely different and the crust was amazing!
Hey Nags, I tried the same recipe a year ago and it has been my favourite one for a pound cake. The crumb and texture are so delightfully velvety. I found the recipe on JoyofBaking, though. Glad to see you've tried it out too. Nice pics!
yes we are
i saw the same picture in Spicy Chilly blog also. Are you both sisters?
My father is from Kottayam and we have been there so many times when I was in school. Mention of the place brings a wave of nostalgia 🙂
Cake looks great! Cooking with company is a real pleasure right :)?
Rajani
Soo gorgeous..! Loving the texture of the cake and especially the first pic is brilliant…
Wow! this looks yummy.. reminds me of the times my sis & i have our cooking/baking days when we meet.. its soo much fun 🙂
And ur pics are always so stunning!
Soft and perfect pound cake!
Beautiful Beautiful – both the cake and the sisters holding the cake. btw – I know which one is you! haha. There is another person sitting next to me and gave out a big OMG when she saw your cake. Obviously impressed!
Really a perfect pound cake,cute photography…
Can you please post nice and easy icing recipe with this? I'd like to make a bday cake.
wow, very beautifully done and love your presentation 🙂
Miri, I am from Kottayam!!!
You girls have done a great job, the cake looks absolutely gorgeous.
nags are you from kottayam or did u just visit the place? wow…i'm from kottayam n' i got thrilled seeing you mention kottayam here…..:)
love how nice this cake looks…gorgeous clicks really…n' seems like a simple recipe to follow…:)
cake looks so good,..can imagine how u must have felt while baking it together
It is always memorable to cook with loved ones.. superb cake and pics too..
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The power cuts are huge challenge aren't they! I wait with bated breath while the cakes are in the oven in India! 😀 The pound cake looks perfect with the right texture and I am intrigued by Rose's technique, yet to try it though.
Cake looks soft n moist ..nice pics and like that flowers touch
I just love the texture of the cake.I hope you enjoyed your vacation and the cake as well.
cake has turned out beautiful nags, it must have been very sweet, as you had two sweet things in it, the love of baking with the sis and the punch of baking such a lovely cake at home :), lovely clicks as always.., must have been such a fun with all those hurdles!
I guess the last click is worth all the effort Nags.
You have wonderfully overcome all the obstacles mentioned! The end product is simply astoundingly beautiful to look at! I'm sure it tasted good too…
Thatshd have beenfun…doing it 2gether….cake looking fab and soundseasy
Thats soooo irresistible and lovely texture..
i can imagine power cuts playing havoc to all planning… but great cake nevertheless.. and love the little flowery touch.. i wish i had the knack of presentation 🙂
The last picture is so beautiful, Nags. So many challenges must have been a total fun time when with a sis!
looks super spongy and soft..good one Nags
Awww..that's so sweet.The cake has turned out great despite the so-called hurdles!!
Nice spongy cake and lovely pics,so much love those purple flowers too!
loove the texture of the cake..spongy and just perfect..good job..