Gogi’s Pound Cake

I think Gogi would be proud!

‘Twas the (first) April of COVID-19. I had just returned from spending three weeks on lockdown with Mom. Back at the McCasa, I was checking the status of all our supplies, and mentally giving thanks for our tendency to keep plenty of grocery basics on-hand.

TMc: *taking inventory of the fridge, counting the eggs*
DMc: How many eggs do we have left?
TMc: Eleven.
DMc: And how many eggs does it take for a full-size pound cake?
TMc: Six.
DMc: And how many slices do we get out of one?
TMc: Eighteen-ish.
DMc: So…that’s three servings of yummy per egg…that seems like really good ROI, right?
TMc: Ya know, it does, especially when you consider that we’ve got two full jars of Barney Butter, and everybody knows that pound cake with a schmear of almond butter is the Breakfast of Champions.
DMc: So…do we have all the other ingredients for said pound cake?
TMc: We do!
DMc: I think we should go for it! I mean, what if we never get all the fixins again?
TMc: Agreed. You go work so if we ever find eggs again we can buy some, and I’ll channel Gogi here in the kitchen for a while!

Gogi’s Pound Cake

A classic, and one of the few cakes I make from scratch. The 18-slice yield is an average – if you cut slim slices from this recipe baked in a classic big Bundt pan, you can get up to 24 slices.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18 Slices
Author: TMc

Equipment

  • 12-cup Bundt or Tube Pan (OR two 9×5 loaf pans)
  • Mixer, bowl, spatula, baking spray, the usual

Ingredients

  • 3 Cups All-purpose white flour (aerated but not sifted)
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 2 tsp Ground mace
  • 1 Cup Softened unsalted butter (two 8-ounce sticks)
  • 3 Cups White granulated sugar
  • 6 Large eggs
  • 1 Cup Sour cream (full fat)
  • 1 TBSP Vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 tsp Lemon extract
  • 1-1/2 tsp Almond extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Mix flour, baking soda, and ground mace in a bowl or measuring cup
  • Cream butter and sugar in your mixer bowl until light and fluffy
  • Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each
  • Add flavoring extracts, mix well
  • Add half the sour cream and half the flour mixture, mix well
  • Add the remaining sour cream and flour mixture, mix well
  • Spray Bundt or loaf pans thoroughly with baking spray
  • Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes depending on your oven – do not open the oven for at least the first 40 minutes, and test with a skewer at around 1 hour and 5 minutes (if you use loaf pans, plan on it taking an hour, and test at 50 minutes)
  • When done, cool the cake pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then up-end the cake onto a rack with parchment under it to prevent sticking
  • Let cool completely before storing in a cake keeper or freezing for future use

Notes

This cake is dense, moist, and lovely just plain. It’s also a fabulous delivery method for special treats as a base, such as:
  • Lightly toasted with nut butter smeared on top of a slice
  • Spread with softened cream cheese and the fruit or pepper jam of your choice
  • Strawberry shortcake (add strawberry sauce and whipped cream or Cool Whip) – this works well in slices or with the cake cubed up
 
This freezes beautifully as well! 

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