Juniors Pound Cake Recipes

JUNIOR'S SPONGE CAKE CRUST

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter the bottom and side of a 9- or 8-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending it all the way up the side.
• 2. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
• 3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks on high for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until thick light yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts.
• 4. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until there are no remaining white flecks. Blend in the melted butter.
• 5. In another clean bowl, using clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don't worry if you still see a few white specks, as they'll disappear during baking.
• 6. Gently spread the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10 minutes. Touch the cake gently in the center. If it springs back, it's done. Watch carefully and don't let the top brown. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter for the cheesecake.

HOMEMADE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 12-cup fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®).
• Place sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. Cream together using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 45 seconds after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat for 30 seconds.
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture, mixing on low speed, until just blended. Add 1/2 cup milk and beat on low speed until just blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula between each addition. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking pan, filling no more than 2/3 full. Smooth the top with a spoon or a spatula.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before inverting onto a plate. Allow to cool completely before serving.

JUNIOR'S POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°.
• Butter 2 loaf pans (9x5x3 x 2 1/4-inch), then line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper.
• Sift the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together into a medium-size bowl and set aside.
• Cream the butter and shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high until light yellow, about 5 minutes.
• Then, while the mixer is still running, add the sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, beating 1 to 2 minutes after each addition.
• Now add the eggs, one at a time, beating 3 minutes after adding each one.
• Beat the batter until it is light yellow, airy, and starts crawling up the sides of the bowl, a total of about 35 minutes in all. (this is important)
• Beat in the vanilla.
• Sift about one fourth of the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, then stir in one third of the milk.
• Repeat by adding one-quarter more flour, one third more milk, another one fourth of the flour, then the rest of the milk.
• Finally, stir in the rest of the flour.
• Stir after each addition until the ingredients are well incorporated.
• Gently spoon half of the batter into each loaf pan.
• Set the 2 pans side by side in the oven, making sure they are not touching each other.
• Bake the cakes until the tops are golden and the center of each cake springs back when you touch it lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (not batter) clinging to it, about 1 hour.
• Let the cakes cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before removing them from the pans.
• Note: I am assuming that the 35 minutes total beating time includes all additions to the batter as well.