BEST POUND CAKE

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Here's the test kitchen's favorite recipe for a classic pound cake. If you prefer your pound cake with a slightly less dense texture, follow our instructions below for a lighter variation that incorporates baking powder and sour cream into the batter.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cake Recipes

Yield Makes two 9-by-5-inch loaves

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 pound (3 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon baking powder (lighter version only)
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 pound (2 1/4 cups) sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
9 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature (lighter version only)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a bowl, whisk together flour and salt. (If making the lighter version, add baking powder at same time as salt.)
  • With an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium; beat in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each and scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in 2 batches (alternating with sour cream if making the lighter version), beating until just incorporated.
  • Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Tap pans on counter; smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 70-75 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes. Turn out cakes onto rack to cool completely.

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