Australian Gourmet Traveller - (06)June 2019 (1)

72 GOURMET TRAVELLER

Pound cake

P

oundcakeis based

ona veryeasyformula

ofequalpartsbutter,

sugar, eggsandflour

(typicallya poundofeach,inthe

oldlanguage).Thisold-fashioned

recipeis a greatintroductionto

baking,andfromhere,youcan

starttobalanceyouringredients

tosuityourtaste.

The modern,lighterversionis

oftenreferredtoas a buttercake,

a styleofcakebesteatenfresh,due

to itshighleveloffatandprotein;

madeahead,it tendstobecome

firm.Day-oldpoundcakeis great

ina trifleoranydessertthatcalls

forcaketoabsorbliquid.It’seasy

toslice,too,soit canbelayered

andfilledeasily,andit makes

a fineliningformoulded

dessertssuchasCharlottes.

A poundcakemadewithfour

ingredients(totallingfourpounds

• about1.8kg)producesa very
  largecakethattakesa longtime
  tocook,sowe’veadjustedthe
  quantitiestomake a more modest,
  loaf-sized cake.

MAKE TO MEASURE

• Creamingthebutterwellwill
  incorporateairintothemixture,
  whichcreatesairbubblesthat
  expandduringcooking.


• Addinga splashofmilktothe
  cakewillincreasethemoisture
  andstrengthenthestructure.


• Addinga smallamountofbaking
  powderwilllightenthisdense,
  relativelyheavycake.

TRICK IT UP

• Usea poundcakeasthebase
  fora fruitcakeandaddspices,
  soakedfruitandroastednuts.


• Tryaddingflavourssuchasfinely
  gratedlemonzestandpoppy
  seedstothebatterbeforebaking.


• Dustcakewitha littleicingsugar
  andserveit witha glassof
  Madeiraorsherry,orfinishthe
  cakewitha simpleicingsugar
  drizzle or creamed frosting.

AFOOLPROOF POUNDCAKEIS ASTAPLE INANYBAKER’S

REPERTOIRE. LISA FEATHERBY REVEALS THE FORMULA.