Pound Cake

Today is National Pound Cake Day. The treat is believed to have originated in Northern Europe around the late 1600's. The recipe is usually simple and rather basic. It got its name because it would contain a pound each of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. Isn't that a four-pound cake?

There are many variations based on countries, regions, and what might be added. The American variety became very popular in the South. The British style pound cake resembles a sponge cake. The French kind doesn't add any additional ingredients and is somewhat similar to America's. The Germans baked theirs either like the British or like the French.

Most pound cakes are baked in a loaf, tube, or bundt pan, and other ingredients have been added over the years. Now there's all types, like coconut, sour cream, chocolate, lemon, cinnamon, berry, nut, etc. They can be served plain, with a glaze, or sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Cooking oil can be substituted for the butter to make the cake more moist. Baking powder or soda also gives it a lighter texture. Below are some recipes for you to try, beginning with early ones and going to an easy, modern one.

Colonial Pound Cake (rewritten for today's cook)

3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups softened butter or margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
7 eggs
3/4 cup milk

Cream together butter and eggs by adding eggs one at a time. Mix in other ingredients and blend well. Pour into bundt pan. Bake about 1 hour at 300 degrees with a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the top for the first 45 minutes.

British Pound Cake

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
(no liquid)

Beat sugar and eggs together. Add other ingredients. Pour into a sponge cake or loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Cake Mix Pound Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 3.4 oz, pkg, vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water

Combine ingredients and blend with an electric mixer. Pour into a tube or bundt pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. Cool of another 30 minutes before removing.

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