I love pound cake, but when I started looking for a recipe, the amount of butter and eggs used in a “true” pound cake recipe really made me nervous about how unhealthy it is. So, I found this recipe from Ina Garten. And although it is still not a healthy recipe by any means, which I wasn’t expecting to find anywhere, it seemed a little more reasonable than using a full pound of butter :). Plus, Ina has never disappointed me!
I recently served pound cake topped with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream when my in-laws visited and it was a hit. It can also be served plain or you can get creative with other seasonal toppings.
Adapted from Ina Garten, via foodnetwork.com
Makes 2 loaf cakes
Ingredients
For the Pound Cake:
- ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Berry Topping:
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ – 1 teaspoon water (optional)
For the Whipped Cream:
- 8 oz. heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
For the Pound Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla. If you do not have buttermilk, whole milk will also work. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 55 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans, place them on a baking rack and allow them to cool completely.
For the Berry Topping:
In a medium bowl, combine the slice strawberries and blueberries, sugar and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until it is time to serve. I will usually mix this the morning of a party in order to let it sit and absorb the natural juices. If there is not much juice, add a little water.
For the Whipped Cream:
Chill the mixing bowl and the whip in the freezer or refrigerator before starting. Whip the cream and vanilla using an electric mixer fit with the wire whisk attachment at medium/high speed. When the cream begins to thicken, slowly add the powdered sugar. Whip until peaks form. Do not over whip.
Slice the pound cake and top with the berries and whipped cream and now you have a fabulous dessert to serve!
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