Pound cake

Summer is getting better, bright and sunny. We are in love with this amazing weather and want to spend all the time outdoor. Weekends are fun days for us, either we are out for a hike or will be cooling off our souls in the beach or grilling outside our small patio with friends. Last Saturday was no different, we ventured out to Miramar beach in Half Moon bay with S's colleagues and their families. I pulled out my capris, flip flops, sunscreen, summer hat, sun glasses, beach towels, tent for the little prince, umbrella - All set! We headed screaming "Hola, beachy-breezy California, here we come". And yes, I forgot we packed a cute bamboo picnic basket with  water, mango lassi, sandwiches, strawberries and oven fresh pound cakes for dessert. 

One fine morning of June, I received an email from Sweet punch and the post for the month was Pound cake.I was really excited as this is my first time in Sweet punch. I love simple cakes and I ended baking this couple of more times.  Who doesn't love to bake and who doesn't love to enjoy those sinfully delicious goodies? I am no exception to it. I am sure no one is.Since I was baking back to back for the last few months. I went on a baking hiatus and started with weight loss regimes and healthy eating for the last 8 weeks. Details here. Sweet punch made me bounce back into the baking world and I am committed to bake just the ones announced here and also share it right away with my friends and neighbours and not indulge myself to these harsh on waist lines treats. 

My kitchen air smelt of vanilla and butter. Straight out of the oven, once cooled and sliced. I offered it first to S. He called it smooth, moist and simple. I added few farm fresh, ripen strawberries and slathered it with fat-free whipped cream, mildly sweet and wonderfully infused with vanilla. Yes, the proof is in the pudding. He cleaned the plate with this forks and offered the empty one for another slice.I would also toast the pound cake in butter and serve the hot toasted slice with vanilla ice cream. Sometimes, I add fudge sauce or sweetened berries. Yum! Delicious! Irresistible! I have no words to express how simple was its preparation.

Measure, whisk, mix and  Voila, you end up with a master piece. Even a first time baker can make it taste the way a pastry chef would do it.

How do you like to enjoy your pound cake?

Ingredients
3 tablespoon milk
3 large eggs
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups cake flour (150gm)
3/4cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
13 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (184 gms)

Method

1.Preheat your oven to 350 F/175C.

2.Butter an 8 inch by 4 by 2.5 inch loaf pan, or any six cup loaf or fluted tube pan.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.     

4.Add the butter , lemon zest 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.  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.

6. 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.

 Note: This recipe is no way related to South Beach Diet. Don't try this if you are on a diet.