Drunken Prune Poundcake Food

BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375 degrees F.
• Coat a 10-inch aluminum tube pan or 2 (9 by 5-inch) loaf pans with 1 tablespoon of butter and dust with 2 tablespoons of the flour.
• Combine the remaining 12 ounces of butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream for 6 minutes on medium speed, using the paddle attachment. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. With the mixer running at lowest speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Again stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This will take approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed add the flour in 3 installments, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, making sure each portion is fully incorporated before adding the next. After the final addition, beat the batter for 30 seconds on medium speed until almost smooth.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pan(s), dividing evenly if using 2 pans. Bake for 1 hour in a tube pan or in loaf pans, until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. The crust will be golden brown and spring back when pressed, but the crack around the center will appear moist.
• Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan(s) and cool on the rack for 10 minutes longer. Store the cake on the rack covered with a tea towel for up to 3 days.

INY'S PRUNE CAKE WITH BUTTERMILK ICING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and butter a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.
• Place the prunes in a small saucepan. Cover them with water. Bring to a low boil and cook until soft and mashable, about 8 minutes.
• Drain the water and mash the prunes on a plate. It's okay to leave little chunks behind. Set the prunes aside and make the cake.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mmmm... smells like the holidays.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients and splash in the buttermilk. Stir until just combined. The mixture will be slightly lumpy.
• Now throw in the mashed prunes. And if your honey walks in as you're completing this step, shield the bowl with your body and stir quickly. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.
• Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Grandma Iny was adamant: do not over bake the cake. You want it to be nice and moist.
• When the cake has about 5 minutes left to bake, make the icing: Combine the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, baking soda and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat. No need to stir. Continue boiling until the icing turns a light caramel color, 5 to 7 minutes. Important: The icing should be the color of caramel, but not yet firm and sticky. It needs to be pourable.
• Pull the cake out of the oven. Try not to faint, as it smells absolutely divine.
• While the cake is very warm, pour the icing evenly over the top. Work fast, as it will quickly start to soak into the cake.
• Spread the coat evenly ... then please, do yourself a favor: lick the spatula. It'll make you smile. Serve immediately, or feel free to let the cake sit on the counter for a while before serving. It only gets better with age.
• Helpful hint: serve without revealing the fact that the cake contains prunes.

DRUNKEN PRUNE POUNDCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Position rack in bottom third of the oven. Butter and flour a 9X3 inch tube pan, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• In large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and soda. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars at medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Mix in the extracts and zests, and fold in the prunes.
• Bake for one hour, until the cake pulls away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• To Make Brandy Soaked Prunes.
• Empty a 16 ounce container of prunes into a clean, sealable glass jar and pour brandy over the top until it covers them by about an inch. Allow prunes to macerate at least one day before making cake. Kept in a cool, dark place, the prunes will keep for months.

GRILLED POUND CAKE WITH DRUNKEN BERRIES AND SYLLABUB

Steps:

• For the pound cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar. Blend until the grains of sugar are no longer visible. Beat in the vanilla. Then add the eggs and flour alternately. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans or a 9- by 9-inch cake pan. Pour the batter into the pan(s) and bake for 1 hour. Then remove and let cool on a wire rack.
• For the syllabub: In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream and granulated sugar. Whip with a whisk or hand mixer until the cream is whipped and fluffy. Slowly fold in the sherry, brandy, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to set up.
• For the berries: In a large bowl, combine the berries and wine. Add the granulated sugar and mix. Cover and let sit to bring to room temperature. (You can put it in the refrigerator, I just happen to like the berries at room temp. Whatever floats your boat.)
• To serve: Preheat a grill, grill pan or broiler. Cut the pound cake into 1/2-inch thick slices. Stir the brown sugar into the warm melted butter. Brush both sides of the pound cake slices with the melted butter and brown sugar.
• Place the slices on the hot grill or under the broiler. If using a grill, get grill marks on both sides. If using a broiler, get some golden brown color on both sides.
• Cut the pound cake slices on a diagonal or in strips, and arrange in a creative way in the center of a dessert plate. Try and get some height. With a slotted spoon, ladle a good scoop of berries over the pound cake. Add a good dollop of syllabub on top of the berries, and dust with lemon zest and mint.

MARY'S PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Blend sugar, oil and eggs.
• Add dry ingredients altering with the milk.
• Add vanilla, nuts and prunes.
• Bake in a 13x9x2" pan at 300 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
• While hot and still in pan pour icing over the cake.
• For the icing: Mix all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat and pour over cake.
• Use fork to pierce holes in cake to absorb icing.

SUNKEN DRUNKEN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Gently heat the prunes and Marsala over a low heat until hot. Remove from the heat and leave for about 1 hr or until the prunes have absorbed almost all of the liquid. Whizz the prunes and any remaining booze in a food processor until roughly chopped.
• Butter and line the base of a 20cm springform tin. Dust with cocoa, tip out any excess and reserve. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir in the prune mix.
• Whisk the sugars, 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks until pale, thick and doubled in volume. Fold the chocolate mixture and vanilla into the egg mixture, then sift over the ground almonds, flour and remaining cocoa. Fold until everything is combined.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the mixture. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 mins or until a light crust has formed. Allow to cool in the tin - it will sink and crack as it cools. Remove from the tin and dust with cocoa before serving.

BREAD PUDDING WITH DRUNKEN PRUNES

Steps:

• Place diced prunes in a small jar or bowl, pour Comfort ove rtop; let sit about 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350. Brush 2-quart baking dish with 1 T. melted butter, set aside.
• In a large bowl, drizzle remaining butter over bread cubes. Scatter cubes on a baking sheet and brown lightly in the preheating oven. Remove and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, cream and vanilla. Add eggs, yolks, sugar and salt, whisking until smooth; set aside.
• Dump bread cubes into prepared baking dish. Remove prunes from liquor (or it might all have soaked in) and toss with cubes. Pour egg-mixture over top of cubes and prunes; cover.
• Place baking dish in a water bath (water should come 3/4 of the way up the sides of the dish), in the oven. Bake for one hour (or until "set").
• Remove dish from water bath, chill for two hours in refrigerator before unmolding from baking dish (or leave in the pan if you're not doing a fancy presentation).
• If you prefer to serve the pudding HOT, let it rest only until it is unpuffed--but do NOT unmold to serve.
• Serve with "butter-rum" sauce (1/2 cup each melted butter and powdered sugar with 3 T rum splashed in--heat briefly in the microwave) OR vanilla ice cream OR whipped cream.