Pound Cake or Sponge cake is a basic sponge with a wonderfully rich & buttery cake with the golden brown crust. Pound cake is called so because each of the main ingredients like sugar, flour, butter & eggs are used in a proportion of 1 pound. Though this recipe is different from the original one, it will have the same taste & texture of a pound cake. Pound cake goes well with tea or coffee.
Here is the recipe and method:
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups wheat flour i.e atta
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar (use more if the sugar is less sweet)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla essence
- milk as required
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C and place a rack in centre of oven.
- Butter baking tray or line the bottom of the pan with wax paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt & sift together.
- In a separate bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy and smooth, add the sugar gradually, beating continuously on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (this takes about 5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- The batter should now be light in colour and fluffy in texture.
- Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- If the batter looks curdled don’t panic, the batter will come together again after you add the flour .
- Add the vanilla & flour. If the batter becomes thick, add milk.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Baking tip: after removing the cake from the baking tray leave it on the wire rack, covering the cake with the baking tray upside down for 20 mins to retain moisture.