I feel like the very name of pound cake is mean; like you are already prepared to pack on the pounds when you eat it. You can feel it settling on your thighs permanently with each bite. That’s why I opt to gift the pound cake I make. Better on my neighbor’s thighs than mine! {Shhhhh. This has made for perfect Christmas gifts for many friends, so let’s just keep my ulterior motives between us!}
Ingredients
4 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup brandy {you can sub apple juice but it changes the flavor a bit}
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan with butter or cooking spray.
In a large stand mixer {can use a hand mixer instead}, cream the butter until fluffy. Slowly pour the sugar in, beating constantly. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next one.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour and then combine with the nutmeg. Gradually add the flour mix to the butter mixture, mixing constantly and thoroughly after each addition. Pour in the lemon zest and brandy, and mix until fully combined.
Pour the batter into the greased pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes before removing from pan and cooling completely on a wire rack. Serve with fruit or jam and whipped cream.
Madam Chow says
Oh, I love pound Cake! This is going on the menu this weekend!
Mavis Butterfield says
Where have you been? How is your new house coming along?
Madam Chow says
My goodness, I’ve been busy and sick – with bronchitis for three weeks. I moved an elderly relative from another state to live with us, we are working on many expensive and unforeseen repairs ( the sellers who left no shower curtains also lied about some big things), and I ordered chickens and about 40 fruit and nut trees to be delivered in the spring. I painted a room, and I continue to unpack boxes.
Mavis Butterfield says
Oh my word. You are busier than me!! Hang in there, and I hope you feel better soon Madam Chow.
Elise says
Do you know why it’s called a “pound” cake? Same reason that it’s called a “4 quarters” in French. I’ll give the answer later to give time for guessing 🙂
Natasha says
To whomever asked, it’s called pound cake because of the lb of butter
Kirk F says
A pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour.
When a Methodist preacher came to a new church, or was allowed to stay for another term, he received a “pounding” where church members would give he and his wife a pound each of the basic staples.
Elise says
DingDingDing! That’s right. In French they call it a “four quarters” because it’s 1/4 of each.
I like learning about that Methodist tradition too 🙂