The Perfect Pound Cake

So here's the story. This is the 4th time I have made this pound cake. I made this particular one late afternoon last week, which meant I couldn't photograph it until the next day, which meant that I couldn't taste it until the next day- in case I wanted to photograph it whole...

The next morning, I photographed it. I usually photograph my food on the floor (on a cutting board of course) right in front of a large window. That is where I get the best light. Right after my final shot, I grabbed a slice from the cutting board and took a bite.

Oh my...

 I felt my eyes get big.

I then found a corner on the floor, curled up and proceeded to have a love affair with that slice of pound cake. It is moist with a cakey yet slightly dense texture. It's sweet, but not too sweet. This one finally tasted better than my grandmother's pound cake. She probably wouldn't like it if she heard me say that. But it's the truth. Sorry grandma.

I have always used this very simple recipe, but did a few things differently with this cake than I have done with cakes in the past. Here are what I think are the secrets to making the BEST pound cake... ever. 

  - Use room temperature unsalted butter and room temperature organic eggs. Organic eggs make a difference. Promise.

 - Use a stand mixer. The key to getting the right texture is to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, but not overmixed. A hand mixer just doesn't seem to get it right...

- Cream the butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Yes, 3 minutes.

 - Use a professional grade bundt pan. I used a pan I purchased at the grocery store for my first few cakes. It was thin and cheap. I used a professional pan for this one and the color on the top of the cake was the perfect shade of brown. The previous cakes were a little too brown.

 - If you like both almond and vanilla extract, my vote is to use almond extract - the pure extract of course. :)

Have you made a pound cake before? If so, what are your secrets?

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