food
TECH N IQ U E
AMERICAN
C L A S S IC S
Pound Cake
Velvety, fine-crumbed, and deliciously dense, a
perfect pound cake takes focus and a watchful eye.
Polish your skills with Chef Scott Peacock.
BY NANCY WALL HOPKINS AND SCOTT PEACOCK
PHOTOS ANDY LYONS FOOD STYLING JILL LUST
RECIPE SCOTT PEACOCK
C LA SSIC POUND CAKE
PREP: 20 MIN. BAKE: 1 1 / HR.
OVEN: 300oF
6
eggs
1
cup cold unsalted butter
(8
oz.), cut i n V
2
-i nch pieces
1
8
-oz. pkg. cold cream cheese,
cut in i-inch pieces
2
3/4 cups sugar
i
tsp. kosher salt
4
tsp. pure vanilla
3
cups sifted cake flour*
1
. Let eggs stand at room
temperature about 30 minutes or
until they are room temperature (no
more than 2 hours). Generously
butter and lightly flour two
8x4x2-inch loaf pans or one 10-inch
tube pan. Using large bowl of
heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle
attachment beat cold butter about
2
minutes on low speed,
occasionally raising to moderately
high speed for 5 seconds to dislodge
butter from paddle.
2
. Add cream cheese. Beat on low
speed 3 minutes with occasional
short bursts on high speed to
dislodge mixture from paddle. Beat
butter and cream cheese mixture
until waxy and well-blended. Still
mixing on low, add the sugar in a
slow continuous stream. (This
should take 1V2 to 2 minutes). Add
salt. Continue creaming butter and
cream cheese mixture for 5 minutes,
scraping sides and bottom of bowl
once halfway through. Increase
speed to medium; continue mixing
2
minutes more, scraping once.
3
. Add eggs, one at a time, beating
20 to 30 seconds after each addition
or just until each egg is fully
incorporated before adding the next
egg. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl
after first three eggs. Beat in vanilla
with the last egg.
continued onpage 188
186
MAY
2009
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