Colombian Pound Cake Food

PONQUé (COLOMBIAN POUND CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Butter two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans and line with buttered parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla.
• Reduce the speed to low, add half the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Beat in the milk and cream until blended. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake until the top of each cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely.

TORTA NEGRA COLOMBIANA (COLOMBIAN BLACK CAKE)

Steps:

• One to two weeks before you make the cake, place the prunes, raisins,1/4 cup of rum and 1/2 cup of wine in a non reactive container.
• When you are ready to make the cakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter and flour two 8 inches round cake pans and set aside.
• Place the raisins, prunes and brevas in the food processor and process for about 60 seconds. Transfer the fruit mixture to a bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla extract, and add the eggs, a couple at a time. Add the flour mixture and mix on the lower speed for about one minute. Add bakers caramel and mix for one more minute. Stir in the fruit using your hands until well combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake until cakes are done on top or a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let them cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Unmold the cakes and brush with the remaining rum and wine. Wrap cakes with plastic wrap, and then with aluminum foil. Let the cakes stand at room temperature for at least 3 days before serving or up to three weeks in the fridge before frosting.

COLOMBIAN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Cream the butter until fluffy; gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is very light and fluffy.
• Add the egg yolks, one at a time, continuing to beat on medium-high speed.
• Stir in brandy and vanilla and mix well.
• Sift the flour and salt together into the butter/egg mixture and blend very well.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff and dry.
• Fold the whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until no white bits are visible--but be gentle.
• Butter one ten inch cake pan (or small loaf tins if you want to freeze some).
• Place parchment paper on the bottom of the buttered pan and press it down, then turn the paper so it is buttered on both sides.
• Pour the batter in the pan and give it a bit of a whack against the counter to make sure it is settled in the pan.
• Bake for about an hour, or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Cool on a rack.

TORTA DE COCO (COCONUT CAKE)

Steps:

• Soak the raisins in the sherry.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a saucepan, combine the sugar, the water and the cinnamon sticks and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it forms a thick syrup.
• Add the coconut, stir well, and cook another three minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool; when cooled, remove and discard cinnamon sticks.
• Grate the poundcake into a large bowl.
• Beat the egg yolks and add them to the pound cake along with the coconut mixture, the raisins and sherry and the ground cinnamon.
• Butter a ten inch springform pan.
• Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
• Fold them, using a rubber spatula, into the cake mixture, blending well but gently.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for an hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool on a rack before opening the springform pan.
• Note: Even the best springform pans leak sometimes, so wrap the bottom with some foil and place a cookie sheet on the oven shelf beneath the shelf on which you bake the cake.

COCONUT POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar, shortening, and salt.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Add extract and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, sift flour and baking powder.
• Add milk to creamed mixture.
• Add flour mixture to creamed mixture.
• Fold in coconut.
• Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan for 1 hour.
• About 10 minutes before cake is done, combine sugar, extract and water in a small saucepen.
• Bring to a boil and boil one minute.
• Pour over cake immediately after removing cake from the oven.
• Let cake sit 30 minutes before removing from pan.