Sunshine, cool breezes and beautiful weather call for open windows. What better for dinner guests to smell drifting down the road or through the neighborhood than a homemade dessert?
Since most fruits aren’t ripe for the picking, an old fashioned pound cake just might do the trick. There are so many types of pound cakes to choose from — there is a recipe for every occasion. If you don’t have a recipe that you love to use, these may make the favorites list!
Old Fashioned Pound Cake
Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground mace
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups corn-oil margarine
2 cups sugar
10 eggs
4 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions: Coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray and dust with 2 tablespoons of flour. Sift together 4 cups flour, mace, and salt in mixing bowl. In another large bowl, cream margarine by beating until soft and smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition until light and fluffy. Separate egg whites from yolks.
In a small bowl, beat the yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Add vanilla to yolks and stir. Add the yolks to creamed margarine and sugar mixture. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes (5 minutes if beating by hand). Gradually add flour mixture, one-third at a time, to creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition. Then, beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Beat egg whites until stiff but still moist looking. Add egg whites to batter and fold in by cutting a spoon through egg whites and batter and turning batter over egg whites. Continue until all is thoroughly blended and no lumps of egg whites are visible. Do not beat or stir. Pour batter evenly into pan. Bake at 325°F for 1 ¼ hours or until done. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on the rack. To serve, cut into 1-inch thick wedges.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ cups corn-oil margarine
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 ½ cups sugar
3 cups flour
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
Directions: Coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray and dust with 2 tablespoons flour. Combine 3 cups flour and baking powder and mix well. In a large bowl, cream margarine by beating until soft and smooth. Add cream cheese and continue beating until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar to creamed mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour to the mixture, about one-third at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition. Beat for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add vanilla, almond and butter flavoring and stir. Pour batter evenly into pan. Bake at 325°F for 1 ¼ hours or until done. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on the rack. To serve, cut into 1-inch thick wedges.
From the “Auburn Cookbook,” a publication of Alabama Extension.
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