Currant-Orange
Pound Cakes
Makes 12½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups cake fl our
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1⁄3 cup dried currants
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
leaves
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
Garnish: confectioners’ sugar and
fresh thyme leaves- Preheat oven to 325°. Spray
2 (6-well) mini Bundt cake pans*
with baking spray with fl our. - In a large mixing bowl, beat together
butter and sugar with a mixer at high
speed until light and fl uff y, approxi-
mately 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a
time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla, stirring to combine. - In a medium bowl, whisk together
fl our and salt. Add fl our mixture to
butter mixture in thirds, alternately
with cream, beginning and ending
with fl our mixture. Add currants,
thyme, and orange zest, beating at
low speed until incorporated. - Using a ¼-cup levered scoop, drop
batter into prepared pans. Tap pans
fi rmly on countertop to level batter
and reduce air bubbles. - Bake until cake edges are golden
brown and a wooden pick inserted
in centers comes out clean, 20 to
23 minutes. Let cool in pans for
10 minutes. Remove from pans, and
transfer to wire cooling racks. Let
cool completely. - Dust with confectioners’ sugar and
garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if
desired. Store at room temperature in
an airtight container up to a day.
*We used Nordic Ware Heritage Bundtlette
Cake Pans.43 Teatime Holidays