Pound cake refers to a type of cake traditionally made with pound of each of four indigents: flour, butter, eggs an sugar. The traditional recipe makes cake much larger than families can consume, and so the quantity is often changed to suit the size of the cake that is desired. As long as the ratio is preserved, the resulting cake will be identical to that using the traditional recipe. Hence, any cake made with a 1:1:1:1 ratio of flour, butter, eggs and sugar is also called a pound cake.
Pound cakes are generally baked in either a loaf pan or bunt mold, served either dusted with icing sugar, lightly glazed or sometimes with a coat of icing.
- Heat oven to 160 C/325 F/ Gas 3. Grease 10 inch bunt pan (I use silicon one with no greasing)
- In a large bowl cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
- Add flour a little at a time, beating until smooth
- Add vanilla and blend
- Pour batter in prepared pan and bake 1 1/4 to 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean
- Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert and let cool completely. Dust with icing sugar. Stored covered up for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
Original recipe that I used for my own version states that the cake has a shelf life of 2 weeks and freezes well. I cannot verify this as I don't have enough freezer space and the cake never lasted more than few days before it was all eaten.
I have also used this recipe for my Easter Lamb cake, using lamb mold instead of bunt mold.