Sour Cream Pound Cake

Christmas is closer than we even realize so it is time to start thinking about special desserts and baked gifts to give to family and friends. I usually make up cookie plates but might try this recipe for giving, too.

Sour Cream Pound Cake
1 1/2 cups butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
8 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon either freshly-grated lemon or orange zest or a combination
4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup full-fat sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using vegetable oil spray and then dust the inside of the bundt pan with flour. You can also use the mini-bundt pans or loaf pans, too.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar, beating until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add the extracts and zest. Blend in the flour and sour cream. Batter should be smooth but don't over mix. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake for 45-60 minutes depending on the size pan(s) you used. Cake should spring back when lightly touched and be golden brown. Cool for a few minutes before inverting on a wire rack to completely cool.

Lots of ways to make this cake to your own specifications and creativity.

Add 1/2 cup of mini-chocolate chips to the batter just before pouring into the prepared pan(s).

Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts.

Grind up some fruit cake fruit for a colorful look and richer taste.

Dust with just powdered sugar to serve.

Ice with your favorite icing.

Melt either semisweet or milk chocolate chips and spread that as a 'frosting' on the cake.

Don't forget colorful Christmas sprinkles!

Almond Sour Cream Pound Cake

For anyone still wondering what to bake for their loved one on Father's Day, this recipe looks extremely good and not complicated. As always, I plan to try it but will tweak it a bit for my own tastes but have to admit, that just as written, it sounds pretty good.

http://www.cooking.com/recipes-and-more/recipes/Almond-Sour-Cream-Pound-Cake-recipe-

Quick and Easy Pound Cake

I like to bake but I always welcome having a few recipes that call for everything to be dumped in the mixing bowl and going from there. This is such a recipe. Within minutes, you will have a cake in the oven and look like the Kitchen Maven.

Quick and Easy Pound Cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup softened butter
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Blend on a low speed of your mixer and then beat to mix thoroughly, about 3-4 minutes. Spread into a vegetable-oil sprayed Bundt or angel food tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 60 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes and then remove to cooking rack to finish cooling.

Finishing touches . . .

Dust with powdered sugar.
Combine powdered sugar with a bit of cocoa powder and cinnamon to dust the cake.
Combine a cup of powdered sugar and enough orange or lemon juice to make a glaze.
Serve slices with sliced strawberries and whipped cream.
Have it plain with a good cup of coffee!

Simple Pound Cake . . .

Most people I know like to bake their pound cake in a loaf pan. If you have a tube cake pan on hand, it also makes a nice presentation and is easier to decorate and serve. From what I understand, the name 'pound cake' came from the fact that a pound of each ingredient was used in the cake. Not sure how the measurements go these days but a simple pound cake in any shape or flavor is always a nice finishe to a festive dinner. Leftover pound cake? Not bad with a cup of coffee when you need a morning break.

Simple Pound Cake
3 sticks of softened butter (Margarine just doesn't work well)
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 cups cake flour
1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons finely grated, fresh lemon zest

This cake like to be baked long and low so preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Vegetable oil spray or otherwise grease a 10-inch tube cake pan.

Whip together the sugar and butter into light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Blend in the flour and whipping cream. Stir in the extracts and lemon zest. Spread evenly into the prepared cake pan.

Bake for about one hour to an hour and a half depending on your oven. To test doneness, use a toothpick and stick it in the middle of the cake. It should come out clean of sticky crumbs or wet batter.
Cool completely before removing from cake pan.

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
Lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Enough lemon juice to form the icing.

Drizzle over the top of the cake and let run down the sides.

This recipe makes great cupcakes, too. The cupcakes are bit sturdier but taste good along, with an icing, or split and served with strawberries and whipped cream.

Apple Spice Pound Cake

Following in the apple/Fall/cooler weather theme, here is one that will scent your house wonderfully and cause everyone to clean their plates at dinner in order to get a slice of this cake!

Apple Spice Pound Cake
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups apple; peeled, cored & finely diced (tart, green apples work best.)
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Mix sugar and oil, add eggs and beat well. Combine flour, soda and salt. Add flour mixture to beaten egg mixture. Stir in vanilla, apples, spices, and walnuts. Mix well. Spoon batter into a greased tube pan. Bake at 325 F for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Allow cake to cool to room temperature before removing from pan.

How many pounds in a Pound Cake?

I love pound cake because it is good alone and a great supporting role for crushed strawberries or sliced peaches. It makes great cupcakes and takes well to a tart lemon icing. This is a particularly good recipe.

2 sticks butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 egg yolks
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
6 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix flour and soda together in a separate bowl. Add flour and sour cream alternately to batter. Add extracts and zest and beat until smooth. Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into ungresed tube pan. Bake approximately an hour and a half.

*Seems to me that a quarter cup of toasted coconut could be used for a change in the traditional taste.