Pound Cake High Altitude Or Not Food

PERFECT POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Lightly grease an 8-in x 4-in x 2½-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Dust with flour, shaking off any excess. (Alternatively, use a nonstick cooking spray with flour in it, such as Baker's Joy or Pam Baking Spray with Flour.)
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and vanilla until just combined.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 separate additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to combine. Do not over-mix. (The batter may have a slightly curdled or grainy appearance -- that's okay.)
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a thin wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Place the cake on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap or store in a large sealable plastic bag.
• The wrapped pound cake will keep for several days at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

CREAM-CHEESE POUND CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour and salt in two additions, beating until just combined.
• Generously coat two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2- by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans (1 1/2 quarts each) with cooking spray; immediately pour in batter (pan will seem full). Tap pans on work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles.
• Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out almost clean, 60 to 75 minutes (if the tops begin to brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil).
• Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Turn out the cakes; cool completely, with top sides up, on a wire rack.

PLAIN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans, place them on a baking rack and allow them to cool completely. Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator.

HIGH-ALTITUDE BUTTERMILK DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat three 9-inch round cake pans generously with cooking spray.
• Mix cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Beat white sugar, 1 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon almond extract together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Pour in half of the buttermilk and mix well. Beat in eggs one at a time.
• Beat half of the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture. Add remaining buttermilk; beat well to combine. Add remaining flour mixture and beat until batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans, about 15 minutes. Invert onto wire racks and cool completely before frosting, about 45 minutes.
• Beat 1 1/4 cups butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon almond extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in milk gradually. Add confectioners' sugar, 2 cups at a time, scraping sides of the bowl as needed, until frosting is smooth. Increase speed to high and beat, adding more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
• Spread frosting between cake layers and smooth over top and sides of cake.

POUND CAKE - HIGH ALTITUDE, OR NOT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add milk and flour alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Add flavoring. Add soda just before just before putting in pan. Bake in tube pan or 2 9" round cake pans for 1 to 1.5 hours.

APPLE BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and generously grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Add in the applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Beat for about a minute, or until all the flour is completely incorporated.
• Pour the batter into your prepared bundt cake pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for about 20 minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a plate to finish cooling.
• Serve with caramel sauce and ice cream, or plain!

HIGH-ALTITUDE POPPY SEED POUND CAKE WITH WHIPPED CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-​by-​5-​inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it fold over the sides for easier removal.
• To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the ½ cup butter, cane sugar, almond flavor, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until no chunks of butter remain.
• Add the eggs and milk and mix on low until combined, scraping down the sides so there are no butter chunks.
• In a separate bowl, add the cake flour and sea salt, and whisk together. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and continue to mix on low until you have a smooth batter. Add the poppy seeds and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Grease the loaf pan well with canola oil cooking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing.
• To make the icing: Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler. Remove from the heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the ¼ cup butter, powdered sugar, melted dark chocolate, and heavy whipping cream. Mix on low until combined, and then speed up the mixer to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
• Spread the icing over the top of the cake.
• Store in an airtight container or a cake dome for up to 3 days.
• Gluten-Free Variation:
• Replace the cake flour with 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (184 g) gluten-​free flour blend and ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (28 g) coconut flour.

POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 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.
• Cream together the remaining 16 ounces of butter and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer for 5 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 the 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 3 minutes and the mixture may look curdled. 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, making sure each portion is fully incorporated before adding the next. After the final addition, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat 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 or until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. The crust will be golden brown and will 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. Store the cake on the rack covered with a tea towel for up to 3 days.