Buttermilk Pound Cake
I know you’re thinking something along the lines of “Where’s the pound cake? Sure looks like strawberry shortcake to me!”
My good friend Pat gave me this recipe for buttermilk pound cake some 30 years ago, and it has made many appearances through the years. Sometimes I make it and enjoy it exactly as is. This moist and flavorful pound cake is a delicious accompaniment to a cup of coffee or tea with its firm but tender texture and its hint of lemon.
Other times, as you see here, I like to serve it with a slab of vanilla ice cream, topped with strawberries and whipped cream. It also makes a fabulous trifle where I layer it with vanilla pudding, strawberries and/or peaches, again topped with fresh whipped cream.
This pound cake reminds me of movies we’ve all seen where there is a woman who looks like a librarian whom nobody notices. Her hair is up in a bun and invariably she’s wearing glasses. Then at some point in the movie, she takes off her glasses and shakes her hair loose, and everyone (usually the males) does an about face. If I had posted this photo of the plain, unadorned pound cake first, would you have noticed or appreciated this tasty little pound cake?
I think not. And you would have passed by a cake that is not only delicious but easy to make, freezes beautifully and is a versatile workhorse of a dessert recipe.
One year ago: Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Burgers with Guacamole
Two years ago: Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie Clone
Three years ago: Swedish Pancakes
Buttermilk Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. lemon extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Directions
Grease and flour two 9×5” loaf pans; set aside.
Combine all ingredients except for buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Add buttermilk and beat on low speed for 2 minutes.
Pour into prepared baking pans. Bake at 325o F. for 45 to 50 minutes until cakes test done using toothpick. You should see a few tender crumbs clinging to toothpick—it will be done at the point.
Fran’s Notes
A my friend Pat told me to do all those years ago, I literally dump all the ingredients (except for the buttermilk) into my mixing bowl and then beat them all together on high speed. You don’t see this done very often, but it sure is a timesaver, and the batter turns out just fine doing it this way.
Source: My friend Pat gave this recipe to me 30 years ago.