by Quail Hollow Kitchens
With all that wet weather behind us this is a great spring pick-me-up. This is perfect to take to a gathering or tuck into a lunch box. This is my variation on the classic pound cake, which is just butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. I use Meyer lemon juice in the icing because it’s less acidic than other lemons.
Here is a little science behind this recipe: You must beat the butter until it’s light and then slowly cream in the sugar until it is light and fluffy. This process incorporates small air bubbles, which generates part of the lift in this pound cake. You know this process is done when the mixture is pale in color, almost white. The other part of the lift in this cake is from the baking powder.
A second important process is to add one egg at a time until each is well incorporated (the consistency should not look curdled or the pound cake will bake heavy). The mixture should double in volume during mixing (this takes from 5 to 8 minutes).
Thirdly, whisk your flour and lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and level with a knife or spatula. Then sift all dry ingredients together and add the dry ingredients slowly to the butter mixture. When you see white streaks, start to mix the remaining dry ingredients in by hand so you do not deflate the batter. All of these steps are important or your batter will deflate and the result will be a tough, dense cake. A perfect pound cake is light and holds together when sliced.
Lastly, if you can, use an oven thermometer to check for accuracy; A steady 325 to 350 is perfect. Start testing as soon as you smell the cake. A cracked dome means the cake expanded as it should. It is done when a toothpick comes out clean. It may not take 50 minutes in your oven and your pan. I like to cool my cake in the pan for 20 minutes then remove it onto a rack and add the icing about 20 minutes later so it slightly melts and spreads evenly.
Quail Hollow Kitchens – Meyer Lemon Pound Cake
¾ cup real butter
½ teaspoon lemon zest
¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon real lemon extract
3 large eggs
1 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
First, have all ingredients at room temperature (its takes about 45 minutes for butter to come to room temp; leave out eggs overnight). Cream butter and lemon zest. Gradually add sugar as described above. Next add lemon extract, then eggs one at a time. Sift together all dry ingredients. Stir into butter mixture.
Grease only the bottom of a 9x5x3 inch pan. Turn in batter and smooth to level. Bake 325 to 350 for 50 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in pan, then remove. Glaze with juice from ½ a Meyer lemon and 1 cup powdered sugar that have been whisked together. Add more sugar until the glaze is thick, then apply to cooled cake.
From our kitchen to your table. Enjoy! Comments or suggestion are welcomed. Contact Patricia Davis at TheRecipeBox@QuailHollowKitchens.com.
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