Virginia Pound Cake Food

CLASSIC POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Generously grease a large (10-inch) Bundt pan with butter and set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and vegetable shortening until light and fluffy. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the milk, vanilla, eggs and almond extract if using. Stir to combine. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter mixture, alternating between the dry and wet ingredients in three parts, starting and ending with the dry. Fill the prepared pan with the batter.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake until the cake is warm golden brown and pulls away from the sides of the pan, or a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, an additional 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a rack to cool completely, at least 20 minutes.

VIRGINIA POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F and grease/flour two loaf pans.
• Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.
• Beat egg whites to stiff peaks.
• Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored; add to creamed mixture.
• Add brandy.
• Sift flour and mace; add alternately with stiffly beaten egg whites.
• Pour into prepared pans and bake for 90 minutes.

EASY POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 900g loaf tin with parchment paper (mine was 19cm x 9cm x 6cm). Put all of the ingredients except those for the icing into a large bowl and beat together, either using an electric hand whisk or a wooden spoon until smooth and combined. Pour the mix into the loaf tin and spread evenly with the back of spoon. Bake for 40 - 45 mins.
• Once out of the oven, leave to cool and make the icing. Combine the icing sugar and vanilla paste with three tbsp of water - you may need more but add it gradually to get a thick icing. Spread it over the top of the cake; it's fine if it drips down the edges. Allow to set and then slice.