“Pound cake is so named because its original recipe called for a pound of each of its four ingredients: sugar, eggs, flour, and butter.”–Britannica
Pounds of Appreciation 👩🏫
When I was a very young child, my mom would bake pound cakes for my siblings’ and my elementary teachers during the holidays. I honestly do not remember for how long she kept this tradition going, since there were four of us kids. What I do recall is carrying the cake into my classroom with great pride. It was a family favorite recipe, so I felt like I was giving a grand prize to my teachers–a whole cake.
sweet tooth cravings 🦷
As a young adult, I asked my mom for the recipe, which is when I discovered it came from my Aunt Patty, my mom’s oldest brother’s wife. It was one of those recipes I made a couple of times before it became relegated to my recipe basket filled with index cards of recipes seldom used. However, strangely enough this summer, I got a hankering for pound cake, and I dug out the recipe.
As soon as I read it, I realized that the recipe was back when I was ignorant to my celiac diagnosis. Now I know why my stomach hurt every time I ate it! I decided to try to create a gluten-free version of it. It was NOT easy.
overflowing with love 🥮
My first adaptation overflowed into the oven. It was a mess! The good news was that the remaining batter that fully baked in the pan tasted good, so I was on the right track. After spending a good hour, and then some, cleaning the oven, I was back to the drawing board.
I did more research and visited three sites for whom I have found reliable baking information in the past. These sites helped with adapting the ingredient amounts of Aunt Patty’s original recipe to a gluten-free version. Mama Know Gluten Free confirmed my addition of vinegar to the original recipe. King Arthur’s website inspired the idea of making the cake more decadent by adding a glaze to the top. Finally, Land O Lakes helped me get clear on the correct cake pan size.
The taste of sweet success 🍰
Once success was attained, I knew I had to channel my former inner-child and share this gluten-free variation of Aunt Patty’s pound cake recipe. I’ve noted several adaptations/modifications that anyone can choose to bake a pound cake that meets dietary needs and/or taste preferences. My mom often baked hers with cocoa powder, but for my gluten-free variation, I have not yet tried it, but I do plan to try that in the near future.
The gift of homemade goodness 👩🍳
In the meantime, as the holiday season is now upon us, give yourself, or someone special, the gift of decadent simplicity that can result when you mix and bake flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and few other simple ingredients! From my home to yours, I wish a healthy and happy holiday season filled with “overflowing” homemade goodness from the kitchen!
Pounds of Saucy Goodness 🍯
Serve it up! 🥮
Aunt Patty’s Pound Cake, with optional Brown Butter Glaze
gluten-free and plant-based variations included
Ingredients
1 cup milk, or non-dairy alternative
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 sticks (1 cup) room temperature butter, or non-dairy alternative
½ cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup brown sugar
5 eggs, room temperature, or egg-free replacement
3 cups of all purpose flour, or gluten-free alternative
(⅓ cup cocoa, optional if desiring a subtle chocolate flavor)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp coconut extract
(Can replace almond and coconut extract with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Brown Butter Glaze, optional
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup confectioner sugar
½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk
Directions
*Note: It takes 3-5 hours for butter and eggs to come to room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prepare 12” (14.5 cups) bundt or 10” (16 cups) angel cake (tube) pan
Add vinegar to milk, and set aside in fridge
Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy
Add in eggs, one at a time mixing well between each addition
Gradually add in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa (if using) alternately with milk
Mix in extract(s), but do not overmix batter
Pour batter into cake pan
Bake approximately 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Allow cake to cool in pan 15 minutes before turning onto cooling rack to completely cool
Serve as is or with desired toppings such as fruit or ice cream; or top with glaze (see below)
Directions to make glaze:
Place cut up butter in pan over medium heat
Continually stir butter until you begin to see brown bits
Remove from heat and whisk in brown sugar until incorporated
Whisk in confectioner sugar and vanilla extract
Gradually whisk in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until glaze is smooth and sugar fully dissolves
Poke hole with toothpick in cracks and crevices of cake top, and drizzle glaze over top of cake.
Store cake at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Can also freeze for up to 6 months.
Each loaf makes approximately 10 slices
*Pound cake is great toasted in a skillet or oven with butter and sprinkled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and sugar.
*It is also excellent served warm with favorite toppings such as berries, cherries, sauces, whipped cream, and/or ice cream.
Steph Simply 