Why do they call it pound cake?
Pound cake gets its name from the weight of each of the ingredients needed to make the cake. Pound cake requires exactly one pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
Where does pound cake originate?
The recipe for pound cake was included in the very first American cookbook, American Cookery, published in 1796. Despite these early American origins, it’s thought that pound cake migrated from Northern Europe. The French lay claim to the pound cake as well, though it’s called quatre-quarts or four quarters.
How many eggs are in a pound?
Eggs vary in weight since not all eggs are the same. Large eggs tend to weigh just short of 2 ounces each. It takes between 8 and 9 large eggs to equal one pound.
POUND CAKE VARIATIONS
Vanilla Pound Cake: Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract to the batter with the eggs. Make a vanilla glaze by whisking together 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour over warm, baked cake. Almond Pound Cake: Add in 2 teaspoons almond extract to the batter with the eggs. Make an almond glaze by whisking together 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Pour over warm, baked cake. Sour Cream Pound Cake: Replace half of the butter with sour cream. 1 cup, or 8 ounces will equal 1/2 pound. Sour cream produces a more moist cake. Cream Cheese Pound Cake: Replace half of the butter with cream cheese. One 8 ounce package will equal 1/2 pound. Rum Pound Cake: Add 2 teaspoons rum extract to the batter with the eggs. Make a rum glaze by heating 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup dark rum, and 1/4 cup water over medium high heat. Bring to a simmer. Poke holes in baked cake and drizzle with rum glaze while warm. Lemon Pound Cake: Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the batter with the eggs or 1 teaspoons lemon extract. Make a glaze to put on after baking by whisking together 1/3 cup lemon juice with 1/3 cup sugar until dissolved. Drizzle over baked cake Cornmeal Pound Cake: Replace half of the all-purpose flour with finely ground cornmeal. Feel free to try any of the above variations to Traditional Pound Cake, or their glazes. Each of them is delicious and allows you to experiment with this classic cake and suite it to your own personal taste preferences. You may also be interested in the following classic cake recipes:
Chocolate CakeVanilla CakeWhite CakeRed Velvet CakePineapple Upside Down CakeKing Cake
STORAGE: Pound cake needs to be stored in an airtight container to keep it from drying out. Be sure that it is completely cool before placing it into a storage container or plastic bag to prevent condensation from forming. Δ Δ
