Basic Pound Cake

This wonderfully rich and buttery treat with its golden brown crust was called “pound cake” because the original recipe contained one pound each of butter, eggs, sugar, and flour. The recipe has been tweaked over the years yet the cake remains a delicious after-meal standby. You can enjoy a plain slice, with just a dusting of powdered sugar, or with whipped cream on the side—or the four creations featured in this story.

Makes 1 cake  Prep Time 15 minutes  Cooking Time 75 minutes

1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups granulated sugar, sifted
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
6 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1  Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and shortening. Gradually add the sugar then the cream cheese. Alternately add the fl our and eggs, ending with the flour. Stir in vanilla extract. Mix well.

2  Pour batter into a greased 8-by-8-inch square pan.

3  Bake at 325ºF for 75 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Time-saving tip  Use store-bought pound cake for any of the following recipes. Or you can easily multiply the basic recipe, keep it in the fridge, and consume throughout the week.

Photography by David Hanson │ Food Preparation by Cleone Baradas │ Styling by Elaine P. Lim and Angelo Comsti

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