Add comma separated list of ingredients to include in recipe. For instance, baking soda or baking powder may be incorporated to induce leavening during baking, resulting in a less dense pound cake. Pound cake recipes calling for a tube pan wonât always fit in a Bundt pan. Pound Cake Tips from the Pros Prep before you start. If you’re fond of pound cake and looking for a new way to serve it, try making stuffed pound cake by filling the cake’s center with a thick, sweet mixture (like this cookies-and-cream cheese). Rather, it’s a hint at the ingredient list, a relic of a time when recipes were largely passed along orally. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. (These quantities are too great for most modern families, but the cake can be made with half quantities or less.) Grease and flour a 10 inch tube or bundt pan. No gift befits the food-obsessed people in your life like a cookbook. It's one of those cakes you can just whip together and impress people with. The logic behind pound cake’s name might not be as intuitive in the present day, but the dessert itself will always be popular favorite. It may be easier to think of this kind of cake in terms the French use. We also found that some 10-inch tube pans hold 12 cups of batter while others hold 14 or 16 cups. If someone asked you how much the average pound cake weighs, would you say a pound? Pound cake also called for simple ingredients that most households could afford, a factor that remains a part of its popularity. Itâs typically made in a bundt cake pan or ⦠Cream butter and sugar well. Pound cakes are one of the easiest things to bake. Given that one pound of ingredients was called for in those recipes, a true pound cake would weigh about four pounds total. Why is Pound Cake Called a Pound Cake? A-Pound cake was so named because originally each ingredient weighed about a pound. Thatâs because a classic pound cake consisted of 1 pound of each of the following FOUR ingredients, Butter; And in truth, even 18th Century Britons didn’t necessarily have to make a four-pound cake if they wanted pound cake. It gets the name of pound cake, because of how itâs made. Pound cake gets its name from the fact that it calls for a pound of flour, a pound of butter (yes! A pound cake is a "pound cake" because the original recipe, from the early 1700s, called for one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. If someone asked you how much the average pound cake weighs, would you say a pound? As you can imagine, the richness of that recipe was beyond decadent. That makes enough batter to fill about two one-loaf pans. The oldest recipes for pound cake call for a pound each of sugar, eggs, butter and flour; two variations of these types of pound cakes can be found in Amelia Simmons’ famous 1796 book, American Cookery. A traditional pound cake calls for one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of eggs, and one pound of flour. Although both may measure 10 inches in diameter, each holds a different amount of batter. Originally, the recipe called for one pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. A cooking oil(typic⦠A traditional British Pound Cake recipe would specify one pound each of flour, butter, eggs (8 eggs), sugar, and several kinds of dried fruit (currants, sultanas, and raisins, with perhaps a lesser quantity of glacé cherries). In English it is called "pound cake" for the same reason: originally the recipe included one pound each of flour, sugar, butter and eggs. Add comma separated list of ingredients to exclude from recipe. That's because it called for a pound of each of ⦠Why is it called pound cake? Pound cake gets its name from the fact that it calls for a pound of flour, a pound of butter (yes! Originally, the creation of the pound cake in the 1700s started with one pound each of sugar, butter, eggs, and flour. Im using the pound cake recipe which ive used for years and never had a problem. If so, you’ve been understandably tricked by this strangely named dessert staple. Why is Pound Cake Called Pound Cake? However, it tends to be very dense, dry, and surprisingly lacking in flavor. Why is pound cake called pound cake Pound cake is originally a recipe that calls for a pound of four ingredients: flour, butter, sugar and eggs. Pretty simple, huh? All rights reserved. 4 hours ago | 0 view. This amount of ingredients made for large cakes, however, so they were usually shared among multiple families. But itâs name doesnât derive from the weight of the completed dessert itself. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Tumblr. Oil is used by some to create a more moist pound cake; sour cream is added by others to lend a tang. Report. Spoiler: It's not because the cake weighs a pound. The reason being is that the 4 main ingredients all call for 1 lb each. You don't even need a recipe to make one because the recipe lies within the name. Why is it called a pound cake? These can include the addition of flavoring agents (such as vanilla extract or almond extract) or dried fruit (such as currants or dried cranberries), as well as alterations to the original recipe to change the characteristics of the resulting pound cake. Of course, modern pound cakes can be dressed up in ways that the desserts originators likely wouldn’t have dreamed. There are plenty of popular variations of the traditional pound cake: Oil can be used instead of butter to produce a more moist cake, sour cream is sometimes added to produce a tangier cake, and additional leaveners are often used to lighten the cake. Whether or not it contains any type of flavoring will stir up debate just about as much as questioning whether cornbread does or doesnât contain sugar. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Follow. Though most popularly called a pound cake it is also known as a 4 quarter cake. The French name quatre-quarts, four quarters, comes from the fact that the cake is made from equal weights of its four main ingredients. But what we like most about this cake is how successful it is at liberating the amateur baker from the rigid guidance of recipes. Pound cake is an American English name for a type of fruit cake known in British English as a Madeira cake. And that's when great baking begins to happen. 3 replies . A pund cake was originally called that bexause it involved a pound (one pound butter, one pound flour, one pound sugar, ect.) Classic Pound Cake Recipe by My Cake School | My Cake School The amount of times people have been told that baking is an exact science is enough to scare anyone from getting creative in the kitchen. If so, youâve been understandably tricked by this strangely named ⦠Traditional pound cake is called such because it uses a pound of each of the ingredients. Over the generations, it has been adjusted a bit here and there with many different variations available. Part of HuffPost Food & Drink. There are numerous variations on the traditional pound cake, with certain countries and regions having distinctive styles. That's it. The pound cake, a delightful dessert typically made in a bundt or loaf pan, is a popular confection, especially in the Southern states. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add the flour, a cup at a time, ⦠Pound cake, which originated in Europe in the first half of the 18th century, initially weighed four pounds. Most recipes don’t actually call for a pound each of eggs, flour, sugar and butter. Theyâve been around since as early as the 1700s, and the term traditionally referred to a cake that weighed four pounds. Pound cake is quite well known in France and is called 'quarte-quarts', or 'four quarters', a quarter referring to a pound. Allrecipes is part of the Meredith Food Group. In the UK, it was known as a madeira cake. Carefully read through the entire recipe, and prepare any special ingredients, such as chopped fruits or toasted nuts, before starting to mix the batter. A traditional British Pound Cake recipe would specify one pound each of flour, butter, eggs (8 eggs), sugar, and several kinds of dried fruit (currants, sultanas, and raisins, with perhaps a lesser quantity of glacé cherries). See the two slices of lemon cake above? What is the actual weight of a pound cake? Thanks . Pound cake is actually called that because it calls for a pound each of butter and sugar, but also a pound each of eggs and flour, for a total of four pounds in all. But with a pound cake recipe -- one that you can cook off the top of your head -- experimentation becomes simple. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Pound Cake History Pound Cake History â The name (Pound Cake) comes from the fact that Want to read more from HuffPost Taste? The ⦠Canât we be pleased with both? All Recipes. This guide to cooking roast beef will help you create a flavorful, moist, and tender roast. The Carribean part of the world that speaks French add Rum to the cake for Christmas eve along with mashed bananas. post #2 of 4 I thought I remembered you saying you were baking your pound cakes in 3 inch high pans instead of the 2 inch high pans. allrecipes.com - Tiffany Stevens. The great thing about a pound cake is you donât even need a recipe. But if you're not ready for that kind of baking freedom, check out the pound cake recipes below. It's one of those cakes you can just whip together and impress people with. © Copyright 2020, Our Top 20 Most Cherished Christmas Cookies, Make-Ahead Breakfast Minis to Save Your Mornings, 15 Classic Sandwiches That Make Lunch Legendary, 14 Nights of Dinner Ideas All Under $2 Per Serving, 15 No-Yeast Breads for Quick and Easy Baking, 10 Easy Christmas Cookies for Once-a-Year Bakers, 10 Chicken Stew Recipes That Make for Comforting Dinners, 10 Leftover Turkey Meals to Freeze for Quick Weeknight Dinners, 16 Mom-Approved Christmas Cookies to Sweeten the Season, 18 Spicy Korean Recipes That Showcase Gochujang Chile Paste, call for a pound each of sugar, eggs, butter and flour, How to Make the Best Butter Cakes and Pound Cakes. In fact, it weighs about 4 pounds because you use these 4 simple ingredients that weigh a pound ⦠Related: How to Make the Best Butter Cakes and Pound Cakes. One of my fellow King Arthur Flour test bakers, Frank Tegethoff, recently called me into the test kitchen for show & tell. (In that scenario, such a pound cake would weigh the same as its name). Cake; Why is Pound Cake Called Pound Cake? The proportions are right there in the name! (Tube pans have straight, high sides, while Bundt pans are more shallow and fluted.) The fact that the cake hinted at even proportions meant that cooks in the 1700 could use a quarter pound of each ingredient and still end up with a pound cake. mfeagan Posted 24 Nov 2013 , 12:33am. Spoiler: It's not because the cake weighs a pound. A traditional pound cake calls for one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of eggs, and one pound of flour. of each of the ingredients. ), a pound of sugar and a pound of eggs. Pound cake is called a pound cake because that was the weight of several of the ingredients. ©2020 Verizon Media. Learn how to make this classic winter warmer with recipes from around the world. Today, the humble pound cake’s construct has evolved to entail plenty of variations on the original concept. This cake gets its name because of how its ingredients can be measured: a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour. I wanted to make something a little more tender, fluffy, and flavorful. If that sounds like a lot of cake, you can cut the ingredients in half -- so long as the ratio remains the same, that's all that matters. Taking a bite, you'd think it was under-baked â even though it's actually completely baked. If you are, that's your problem. Why is it Called Pound Cake? The cake itself is extremely dense, since it doesn't rise as much as the American-style butter cake. Pound cakes are one of the easiest things to bake. This was a time when many people could not read; thus, the recipe was easy to remember. Pound cake first came about during the early 1700s in Britain. Give it a try, you'll see. People have begun adding leavening to make it less dense; orange zest to give it a burst of flavor; chocolate to make it more, well, chocolatey. The original recipe dates back to the 1700s, but today many variations can be found on this simple cake. But the one on the left shows streaks â areas of dense, sodden cake. This results in a large, dense cake not often suited to modern American tastes, though the style (if not the size) is still popular in Britain. Roast beef is a classic main dish for holidays, family get-togethers, and elegant dinners alike. Nope, itâs not because you will gain a pound by eating a sliceâ¦and no, not because it weighs a pound. Rather, itâs a hint at the ingredient list, a relic of a time when recipes were largely passed along orally. ), a pound of sugar and a pound of eggs. Most modern recipes for pound cake, however, are a ⦠So we add sour cream - or nonfat Greek yogurt - to add tang, tenderness, and moisture into the cake. At that time, the average person was unable to read or write, so recipes that could easily be spread by word of mouth tended to be the most popular. You don't even need a recipe to make one because the recipe lies within the name. The best recipes, kitchen tips and genius food facts. Recipes and more delivered to your inbox. But it’s name doesn’t derive from the weight of the completed dessert itself. The pound cake, a delightful dessert typically made in a bundt or loaf pan, is a popular confection, especially in the Southern states. Its name originated from the ingredients used in quantities of English pounds. You can also top your cake with a seasonal icing, like pumpkin, or add in buttermilk for a tangy flavor boost. Pound cakes first originated in Europe. That's the beautiful thing about pound cake: it's a blank canvas -- that's pretty much food proof -- for whatever your heart desires. The one on the right has a typical texture: an even, fairly close grain. 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