Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Granny's Pound Cake


This is my Dad's and my son Jackson's favorite cake. It's my Granny's pound cake recipe from my Memaw's cook book.

3 sticks butter, softened
2 1/2 cups white sugar
8 eggs (corn-free, free-range)
1 tsp cream of tartar
3 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream butter and sugar well, add whole beaten eggs, flavoring and cream of tartar. Beat until smooth. Add flour all at once. Beat for 10 minutes (medium speed). Pour into greased, floured tube or bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Ok. So, this is the recipe pretty much as written in my Memaw's cook book. I add another teaspoon of vanilla and some milk, about a half cup to make the batter more wet and pourable. I add the flour in a 1/2 a cup at a time, and I always have to cook it longer. But, let me tell you, it is the BEST pound cake of any I've tasted. Of course, I might be swayed by nostalgia and family taste, but I still think it's the best.

Jackson wanted it for his treat to take to his class on his birthday. He likes it better than cupcakes or iced cookies, and I really enjoy the fact that it's an old family recipe.

You can sift powdered sugar over the top or make a drizzle icing.

This is my version of the drizzle icing, and I usually just cover the cake in it.

Melt a half a stick of butter. Add it to the bowl of a stand mixer (you can mix this by hand, but it won't quite be as smooth as with a mixer) and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract (corn-free). Pour in confectioner's sugar (corn-free) a half a cup at a time (up to about 2 cups) and beat until the mixture becomes kind of like a dough. Add a couple tablespoons of hot water at a time, mixing until you get the desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled pound cake (or cover the whole thing like I do). If you want it to be more transparent, then use more water. I like it thick like cinnamon roll icing. I sprinkled all natural, corn-free sprinkles over the top so it at least looked like it was intended for a celebration.

I made this yesterday, and between his class at school and my family, it was gone by lunch today.