Old Fashioned Pound Cake

Although ingredient amounts can vary, pound cake is traditionally made with a pound of sugar, a pound of butter, a pound of flour, and a pound of eggs. Most recipe also contain leavening agents such baking powder or baking soda, but this recipe doesn’t call for either. So how does the cake rise? In baking, there are 3 kinds of leavening agents: 1) biological (from yeast), 2) chemical (from baking soda or baking powder), and 3) steam (from water) - in this case steam is created when the water content in the eggs reaches 212F.

Another thing that sets this recipe apart is the use of ground mace. Mace is a web-like aril found wrapped the nut of a nutmeg seed which is dried and ground. Mace is used in sweet and savory recipes (bratwurst). It adds a delicately warm and distinctive flavor. If you don’t have ground mace, feel free to make the recipe without, but I highly recommend it.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• loaf pan (single recipe) https://amzn.to/3HLvCmE

• baker’s joy https://amzn.to/34DbRiT

• bundt pan (double recipe) https://amzn.to/3E955hJ

• mini loaf pan https://amzn.to/2YHYSZT

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ovS9fE

• ground mace https://amzn.to/2YOF5bm

• nonstick baking spray https://amzn.to/2XeWPw4

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Old Fashioned Pound Cake

makes one 8x4-inch loaf (see notes below to double recipe)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace

• 16 tablespoons butter, room temperature (1/2 pound)

• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

• 5 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F and place rack in center position.

2. Prepare 8x4 loaf pan with baking spray (like Baker’s Joy).

3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and ground mace; set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, cream room temperature butter (see notes below) and sugar together for 5 minutes.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time; waiting 20 seconds after each addition.

6. Add the pure vanilla extract and lemon juice; mix just until combined.

7. With the mixer on low, slowly add the reserved flour mixture just until no trace of dry flour remains.

8. Pour batter in prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before turning out of pan; cool completely on a rack before serving.

Notes

• Recipe can also be baked in mini loaf pans or double the recipe and bake in a bundt pan (baking times will vary).

• Be sure to use room temperature butter (around 70F). Creaming the room temperature butter and sugar together as directed above contributes to a nice rise. If the butter melts, it won’t be able to suspend those air bubbles and your cake will be dense and greasy.

Summer Fruit Tart

My children grew up watching me cook/bake and they apparently learned a thing or two in the process. When I recently celebrated a birthday, my girls presented me with this stunning fruit tart that they made without my help. Well, I answered a few baking-related questions… and provided the tart pan, but everything else they did on their own. Proud Momma moment.

The written recipe can be found at the bottom of this page, but you can click HERE to see complete step-by-step photos.

ITEMS USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:

(affiliate links)

• 10-inch tart pan https://amzn.to/2O27QYs

• heavy-bottom saucepan https://amzn.to/2Fc38Vu

• BeaterBlade attachment https://amzn.to/2FdzyyP

• fine mesh sieve https://amzn.to/3oGA5iT

• offset spatula https://amzn.to/3LsLZ9X

• professional pastry brush https://amzn.to/2F6uif9

• vanilla beans https://amzn.to/3rJUHc4

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MIXED BERRY FRUIT TART

makes a 10-inch tart

Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 4 egg yolks

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

SHORTBREAD TART SHELL:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

FRUIT FILLING:

• 3 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced

• 1 mango, peeled and sliced

• 1 pint blueberries

• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced

• 2 tablespoons apple or apricot jelly (for glaze)

DIRECTIONS

TO MAKE THE VANILLA PASTRY CREAM:

1. In a small heavy-bottom sauce pan over medium heat, combine milk, split vanilla bean, and vanilla bean seeds.

2. Remove from heat as soon as small bubbles start to appear around the perimeter of the pan.

3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and egg yolks until smooth.

4. Sift cornstarch into the egg mixture; whisk until smooth again.

5. Add a ladle or two of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture; whisk immediately.

6. Pour the egg mixture into the milk mixture and return to heat, whisking constantly for a minute or two until it thickens.

7. Remove from heat and whisk in butter.

8. Pour hot mixture through a sieve into a shallow bowl.

9. Cover pastry cream with plastic wrap touching the surface.

10. Chill until thoroughly cooled.

TO MAKE THE SHORTBREAD TART SHELL:

1. Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade attachment; mix on low speed until evenly combined and mixture looks crumbly.

2. Press crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch removable bottom tart pan.

3. Freeze tart shell for 20-30 minutes while the oven preheats.

4. Preheat oven to 350F (lower temp by 25F if you use a dark tart pan like I did).

5. Place tart pan on a rimmed sheet pan and bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the edges of the shell turn golden brown.

6. Cool completely before assembling (about an hour).

TO ASSEMBLE TART:

1. Spread vanilla pastry cream evenly into cooled tart shell using an offset spatula.

2. Arrange prepared fruit as you wish.

3. Heat jelly with a little water until the jelly melts and makes a glaze; brush on fruit.

4. Chill tart until service.