OLD FASHIONED POUND CAKE

OLD FASHIONED POUND CAKE image

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups sifted cake flour 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup superfine or strained sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 cup milk

Steps:

Position rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 Degrees F. Butter a 9" x 5" x2-3/4" loaf pan and line the pan with baking parchment. Or, butter an 8 or 9-inch flat bottomed tube pan. Dust with all purpose flour, then invert the pan over the kitchen sink and tap to remove excess. Using a triple sifter, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with beaters or paddle attachment. Soften on low speed. Increase the speed to medium-high and cream until smooth and light in color, about 1-1/2 to two minutes. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, taking 6 to 8 minutes to blend well. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs, 1 at a time at 1 minute intervals. Scrape the sides of the bowl again. Blend in vanilla. The mixture may appear somewhat curdled but will smooth out when the flour is added. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the liquid, dividing the flour into 3 parts and the liquid into 2 parts, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until incorporated after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a tablespoon. Center the pan on the rack and bake in preheated oven for 65 to 70 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown on top and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. If the top browns too quickly, place a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the surface for the last 5 to 10 minutes. The cake is done when a twig or straw or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan. Turn the cake top side up onto a second cake rack to cool completely. Just before serving, carefully remove the parchment paper and dust top of the cake with confectioners' sugar