When I was a kid, my mom gave me two books that I still have, 30 years later. I keep them near me; sadly, the original paper cover of Julia Child's The Art of French Cooking is torn, and spattered with the residue of past culinary endeavors. The 1964 edition of The Joy of Cooking is in similar condition, its page markers plastered with flour and butter. These historic tomes are packed with classic culinary instruction, dishes and advice. Both are guaranteed to supply appetizers, main courses and desserts that everyone will love. My favorite of these, the most reliable cake is on page 626 of Joy of Cooking. Its pound cake. It is a simple cake, but always comes out perfectly. Historically, recipes for pound cake called for a pound of butter, a pound of eggs, a pound of sugar and so on. Thankfully, times have changed. Although I love the tried-and-true JOC pound cake, I was in the mood to try something new today, and create a hybrid of this pound cake and another winner: coffee cake.
Technically, these two cakes occupy two different corners of the baking world. The pound cake is leavened primarily with air, with eggs and through creaming the butter at the start of mixing. The coffee cake is a quick bread, leavened with the chemical leaveners of baking powder and baking soda. I also love the cinnamon streusel that is part of the coffee cake recipe, and wanted a good cake to add our SweetBee farm honey to. Honey is hygroscopic, which is a fancy word that means "attracts moisture". When you add honey, molasses, sorghum, maple syrup or (shudder) corn syrup (all hygroscopic) to a baking recipe, your finished goods will stay more moist over a longer period of time, and cookies will be chewier.
Before you start your cake batter, prepare your pan. I use a professional 8" pan available at Amazon.com or at your local restaurant supply store. http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-2105-9104-Perfect-Performance-3-Inch/dp/B0001DS88W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394727900&sr=8-2&keywords=8%22+cake+pan
If you don't have these pans or can't get them, just use your standard cake pan and use less batter per pan. Spray the pan with pan-release spray and lay in a parchment circle. These circles are easily cut out of a square of parchment. Just fold the parchment into a square, then fold over at the point- place the point in the center of the pan and cut across. Just like making paper snowflakes! Its important to line the bottom of your pan to ensure an easy release of the cake once it's cooled. Then just strip off the parchment and throw it away.
If you don't have these pans or can't get them, just use your standard cake pan and use less batter per pan. Spray the pan with pan-release spray and lay in a parchment circle. These circles are easily cut out of a square of parchment. Just fold the parchment into a square, then fold over at the point- place the point in the center of the pan and cut across. Just like making paper snowflakes! Its important to line the bottom of your pan to ensure an easy release of the cake once it's cooled. Then just strip off the parchment and throw it away.
Sunrise Pound Cake
3 sticks butter (salted or unsalted)
2 cups white granulated sugar
1 cup local honey
8 whole eggs
4 cups all-purpose or cake flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 TBSP pure vanilla
Cream the butter for at least 10 minutes until it is smooth and light in color (this lightness signifies the amount of air mixed in). Add the sugar and honey, continue to cream for another 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time (this allows the fat in the egg to bond with the fat in the butter). Toss in the vanilla and the sour cream, stir to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Allow the machine to mix until the flour is thoroughly combined- but don't over mix. Remove the bowl from the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl, stirring the batter to ensure a smooth, homogenous mix.
Pour half the batter in the bottom of the pan and top with half the streusel mixture. Add the rest of the batter and top that with the remaining struesel.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. (This is a base guideline, adjust for pan size and batter amount) If the center is not quite done, lower the heat to 325 and continue to bake in 15 minute increments.
Streusel Filling/Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 TSBP cinnamon
1/2 stick room temperature butter
1/3 cup flour
Put all ingredients in a bowl and cut together using a pastry cutter, fork or your fingers.
This is a very versatile recipe. You can use spices that you prefer, bake it into cupcakes or try baking it in a loaf pan, cut slices and make ice cream sandwiches! Give it a try and see what you think!
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 TSBP cinnamon
1/2 stick room temperature butter
1/3 cup flour
Put all ingredients in a bowl and cut together using a pastry cutter, fork or your fingers.
This is a very versatile recipe. You can use spices that you prefer, bake it into cupcakes or try baking it in a loaf pan, cut slices and make ice cream sandwiches! Give it a try and see what you think!