It’s time for slightly consolation, and here's a candy repair. Pound desserts are the pleasing plain-Janes of desserts: figurative no-nonsense confections that present a welcome pick-me-up with out wandering into sugary oblivion. In a world of glitz and extra, these desserts are to not be underestimated. Their simplicity is their attraction, humbly taking part in it straight and peculiar, without having to primp and decorate.
A pound cake was historically constructed of a pound every of butter, sugar, eggs and flour (therefore its identify), which yielded an exceptionally giant cake. Over time, the components ratio has shifted and diminished in accordance with desire, conveniently producing a single loaf or Bundt cake. Delicate tweaks and discreet prospers are typically added, resembling a splash of spice, a sprinkle of citrus zest, a bathe of confectioners’ sugar or a drizzle of syrup. Changes and additions apart, ultimately, the pound cake stays an unfailingly predictable and pleasing deal with.
This recipe celebrates the top of the blood orange season. Any citrus is scrumptious in a pound cake, which is a pure canvas for the spark of citrus. Blood oranges are murkier and fewer vibrant than their navel brethren and add a deeper, fruity taste to the cake. To match this depth, I swapped out among the granulated sugar with gentle brown sugar and mixed almond meal (flour) with all-purpose flour, yielding a denser, nuttier cake.
Blood Orange Pound Cake
Makes one loaf
CAKE:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed gentle brown sugar
3 giant eggs
1/4 cup bitter cream
Zest of two blood oranges
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
SYRUP:
1/4 cup blood orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Warmth the oven to 350 levels. Butter a loaf pan and line the underside with parchment.
Mix the flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt in a bowl and stir to mix.
In a bowl of an electrical mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the butter and sugars till gentle and fluffy. Add the eggs, one after the other, mixing effectively after every addition. Add the bitter cream, orange zest and vanilla and blend to mix. Add the flour combination, and utilizing a wood spoon, combine to mix with out overmixing.
Spoon the batter into the ready loaf pan and clean the highest. Bake within the oven till a wood skewer comes clear, about 1 hour.
Whereas the cake is baking, warmth the syrup components over medium-low warmth, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
When the cake is prepared, take away from the oven and switch to a rack. Prick the highest of the cake with a wood skewer and brush with among the syrup. Cool 10 minutes, then take away the cake from the pan. Brush the cake on all sides with the syrup. Cool fully.
Serve dusted with confectioners’ sugar or whipped cream.
Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Space cookbook writer, meals and journey author and recipe developer.