The name ‘pound cake‘ comes from the fact that the original pound cake contained one pound each butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Originally, no leaveners were used in the cake except for the air whipped into the batter. It was only in the 1900’s that artificial leaveners like baking soda and baking powder were added to reduce the density of the cake. Other variations include the addition of flavoring extracts like vanilla and almond or dried fruits such as cranberries or currants. At times, some or all of the butter was substituted by a cooking or vegetable oil to obtain a moist cake.
One of the most popular variations is the sour cream pound cake. The butter is substituted by sour cream to moisten the cake and also get a tinge of a tangy flavor. Despite all these variations which alter the characteristics and the flavor of the cake drastically, the name pound cake is still used today.
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Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake
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Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter or line pan of choice with parchment paper. (loaf pan or a Bundt pan)).
In a bowl, cream butter & sugar with an electric mixer until pale & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add salt, vanilla & sour cream.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour & baking powder. Combine wet & dry ingredients, then beat on low for about a minute.
Transfer about 1/3 of batter to another bowl. Add raspberry preserves & beat until combined. Add 2-3 drops red gel food color if desired. To remaining batter, add lemon juice & beat until combined.
Assembly/Baking
To preferred baking pan, add a layer of white batter then alternate between pink & white batter. Use a knife to swirl the batters together but don't overdo it or you will end up without a marble effect.
Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean. If top browns too quickly, lightly cover with a piece of foil paper.
Allow cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove pan & finishing cooling on a wire rack.
Frosting
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese for about 20 seconds on medium speed. Add powdered sugar & mix to combine well. Drizzle frosting over cooled cake, slice & serve.
Recipe Notes
- My choice of baking pans were some mini Bundt pans. I thought they made a nice individual presentation.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Today as we celebrate Mother’s Day, many special memories come to mind. My mother passed away in 1978 but even after 44 years, time has changed nothing. I still miss the sound of her voice, the wisdom in her advice, the stories of her life and just being in her presence. I miss her today as much as the day she left us. At the time of her passing a friend said to me, ‘your mother is always with you’. At the time, I didn’t quite understand what she had meant but as the years have passed it has come clear to me.
We are fortunate to still have Brion’s mother, Dolores, in reasonable health. It is with loving thoughts we celebrate her today for her loving and kind ways. Even though covid hasn’t allowed us to spend time with Dolores, to still be able to hear her voice on the phone is precious.
I wanted to post this article today that I had saved from many years ago. It certainly clarifies the meaning of my friends comment.
Your mother is always with you * She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself * She’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well, she’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day * She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning * Your mother lives inside your laughter * She’s the place you came from, your first home, she’s the map you follow with every step you take * She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you * Not time, not space … not even death.
On this Mother’s Day, I would also like to acknowledge my sisters, Loretta, Marilyn & Rita, who give so much of themselves to be the great mom’s they are.
I thought this nice sweet bread would be fitting for a Mother’s Day brunch.
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Peach Melba Sweet Bread
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Rating: 5
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Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Instructions
In a small dish, place lukewarm milk, 1 Tbsp sugar & yeast. Allow to sit 3-5 minutes until frothy.
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, eggs & 2 Tbsp sugar. Add flour & mix until well incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap & a towel. Allow to rise in a draft free place for about an hour.
NOTE: Be sure to roll out and shape the dough on parchment paper for easier transferring. Generously dust parchment paper with flour, add the dough. Add more flour to the top of the dough.
Gently roll out the dough into a rectangle about 16x10” in size, adding more flour as needed so the dough doesn't stick to the rolling pin. The dough will be slightly sticky.
Spread dough with a thin layer of peach preserves. Using a piping bag, pipe seedless raspberry preserves on top. Fold dough over, from the short end, in half.
Starting about an inch down from the fold, make 6 slices. Twist each slice then roll dough into a loaf starting with the uncut folded end, rolling towards you.
Transfer bread with parchment paper to a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Whisk together egg and water, carefully brush top of bread. Allow bread to rise 30 minutes.
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Bake for 20 minutes, until the top of the bread is golden.
Recipe Notes
- You notice this bread does not have a lot of sweetener in the dough because of the fact you are using jam or preserves for the filling. For something special, I used a St Dalfour product that uses only grape, dates & pineapple concentrate to sweeten the jam. It was definitely not oversweet so it comes down to personal taste.
