How To Make "Perfect Pound Cake"

Today has been a day of new things for me. It was my first time at a real garden shop where I actually bought stuff. It was also the first time I baked something that turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself. Before I left for the garden shop, I sat outside with Al while he smoked a cigar and drank sweet tea (which he had to re-sweetened by adding equal). The dogs were roaming, while I leafed through the May 2011 edition of Everyday Food. I usually find that I like 90% of the recipes in there, while Alex will only like 40% of what I like. It's not that he's picky, but he's not very food adventurous or necessarily healthy.  In this edition, I found a recipe for perfect pound cake. Here's what you do:

• One cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs, room temp
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly butter and flour a 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch pan. Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy, approx. 7 minutes.  Scrape down the sides and beat an additional minute. Add vanilla and gradually beat in eggs. Set mixer to low, add salt, and gradually add flour. I subbed 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour. Once combined, transfer to loaf pan and bake for 65 minutes. Poke the center with a toothpick and remove from oven if it contains a few moist crumbs. Let it cool on a wire rack for an hour. Once cooled, the loaf can be removed from pan and sliced as preferred. Any unused portion can be wrapped in plastic and stored for 3 days. Here are some pics of the process: 

sugar and butter being beaten

loaf cooling

sliced…yum!

I must admit that whenever I bake just about anything, it is complete crap. However, this turned out to be pretty tasty! It's an easy recipe that anyone will be able to follow. It will be a fabulous breakfast treat over the next couple of days. Or, maybe I'll melt some chocolate and spread it on a slice for a scrumptious dessert. Who knows? All I can say is that it will definitely be eaten up! 

Happy baking!

--Am