Pound Cake is a Slice of Heaven

Pulling into the grocery store parking lot, I immediately spied my Random Human to choose the winner of the giveaway copy of

Agreeable as she was to choosing a number and writing it in orange marker on an index card, I had to wait as she herded stray carts into a tidy line.

Congratulations #74/LaurieAnne!

Although I contacted LaurieAnne last Friday, posting of her selection as the winner was delayed until now, as I wrangle with a new version of computer software. Choosing to upgrade and install in the midst of National Tie One On Day’s promotion is not proving to be the smartest decision I’ve ever made.

Just days until Thanksgiving and I’m only now settling into recipe selection for desserts and my Tie One On Day deliveries. With last year’s lattice pumpkin tart catastrophe in mind, I’m sticking to a trio of tried ‘n trues: cherry pie, chocolate pumpkin jelly roll and pound cake.

Undoubtedly, the pound cake is my all-time favorite. As Damask is the little black dress of table coverings, pound cake is the little black dress of desserts. A composition of simple ingredients, a slice of freshly baked pound cake is understated elegance; adorning with sliced fruit and flavored whipped cream is like snapping on a strand of generational pearls.

Pound cake is meant to be eaten year round, which is good news to a pound cake fanatic. More good news – anyone can bake a pound cake!

The recipe I live by suggests the batter be baked in a bundt pan, tube pan or 2 loaf pans. But I divvy it up to make 8 mini-loaves and 1 small cake.

The loaves are this year’s TOODay delivery. Each is first wrapped in a vintage napkin or hankie, then overwrapped with a hot pad and tied with ribbon. My carrier is a fabric lined, old aluminum lunchbox. The apron I’m tying on is a new one, sewn of vintage reproduction toweling.

The loaves aren’t very big, but their purpose isn’t to fill anyone up, as much as buoy the spirit of the receiver.

A Glorious Pound Cake

• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 1 8 oz package softened cream cheese
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan, tube or (2) loaf pans. Turn the pan this way and that to cover completely with the flour; turn upside down and lightly tap out excess.

Have ingredients at room temperature. Combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, egg yolk and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with mixer until smooth. Add cake flour 1/2 cup at a time. Stir together until smooth.

Pour batter into pan. Bake 70 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist but clean. Cool pan on a rack for half hour. Invert cake onto rack and let cool completely. Tightly cover the pound cake and store on a plate on the counter – never in the refrigerator.

“I remember helping to make Thanksgiving dinner with Aunt Karen, Mama and Grandma. We were all wearing an apron, and I felt so grown up.” Kimberly Switzer, age 6 (1962).

May we not forget to be thankful.

xxea

Tie One On…an apron, of course!