Best Ever Pound Cake

 I will not explain why I have been missing from the blogging scene lately. I am really feeling guilty as my regular followers have been asking me this. Well, lot of things and to summarize it all, its my Cake Decorating business, my frequent travelling, Ramadan (more details here), new baby (now 6 months old) and my weight loss plan. You can well imagine, how blogging took back seat among all this hodgepodge. My apologies once again, but there was hardly a day when I didnt miss blogging. It doesnt mean I wasnt cooking or baking, I badly need to get a light setup which can work in evenings as well for some decent photographs.

Coming back to today's post, this is my family's favorite, a plain butter or evening or pound cake. My mother, mother-inlaw and hubby absolutely love plain cakes and I make this pretty often. It has been fairly straightforward over the years, like typical pound cake ingredients and proportions, but as I am always in the quest of the best recipe, I tried sour cream (how I love this ingredient) pound cake and it turned out absolutely delicious and perfect. Before that I also tried Perfect pound cake from Rose Levy's Cake Bible and although the texture was melting in mouth, it lacked the structure, a little crumbly for me. So here for you is my best take on an evening pound cake which I can guarantee will not disappoint you at all.

Best Ever Pound Cake
Recipe source Sweet Kats Kitchen here


Ingredients


1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup sifted cake flour (I make my own from 1 1/2 cup flour - 3 tbsp and add 3 tbsp cornflour)
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp honey (I did not use this)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. 

2. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt or 10-inch tube baking pan. I used 8 inches loaf pan for half recipe.
3. Sift together the flours, baking soda and salt. Sift again. Set aside. 

4. Combine the sour cream, vanilla extract and honey (if using) in a small bowl. Set aside.
5. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 10 minutes, or      until light and fluffy. I cannot stress this step enough, its absolutely important to beat sugar and butter really well, it give the volume, fluffiness and air to the cake. 

6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

7. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the sour cream mixture and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition. 

8. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 65-75 minutes (40 mins for half recipe) or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. It is beautifully golden when done. 

9. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 25 minutes. Remove the pan and place the cake on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. 

10. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving although not required.