11/8/10

Mom's Favorite Pound Cake


Okay, I'm admitting it. I dream about food. A few nights ago I was having a restless night of sleep (which I will NOT blame on my husband staying up until all hours of the night watching TV shows on his laptop in bed.) and in one of my half-awake/half-asleep moments I remembered a pound cake that my mom used to make that was delicious and moist and had a hint of nutmeg. The next morning I had no idea if I had dreamed up the recipe, or if my mom actually had it. I e-mailed both my mom and sister to see if it was a dream or reality. My sister was fairly certain I was crazy. My mom called later that night, though, with the good news that she did have the recipe, I wasn't dreaming, and that it was every bit as good as I was remembering. She listed off all kinds of occasions where she had served it and the rave reviews it had gotten. She also reminded me of this wonderful fact - it is a light recipe. The best news of all was that she had already sent the recipe to my e-mail and it was there just waiting for me. I downloaded it, made the pound cake that day and I was not disappointed. It has a touch of nutmeg that gives it a special, unexpected flavor. It reminds me a little of egg nog in bread form. You know, without the thick liquid texture.



Mom's Favorite Pound Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour (or substitute with 2 cups, 2 T all purpose flour and 2 T cornstarch.)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk (or 3 T powdered buttermilk)
3 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1. Heat oven to 350. Coat a 9"x5" loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. (If using powdered buttermilk, add 3 T here.) In another medium bowl, combine the buttermilk (3/4 cup water if using powdered buttermilk) egg whites and vanilla extract.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Alternatively add flour and egg white mixtures, in two additions each, beating on a low speed between additions. Spoon into prepared pans.

4. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove the cakes from loaf pans and cool completely.

Recipe source: Jeanne Jones' Homestyle Cooking Made Healthy

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