Perfect Pound Cake

Sweet Punch successfully completed one year since inception. We are now setting off with the beginning of a brand new year and this was the challenge for the month of July. Pound cakes are generally the one amateur bakers can begin their baking journey with as the recipe called for a pound (equal quantity) of basic ingredients. For me it translates to humungous amount of butter!! Well, since it was for Sweet Punch, I had to make this and the crumb was absolutely perfect. However, the pics have come out somewhat unclear... As I made it late night and clicked in hurry :-(

I have made two other versions of pound cakes earlier both inspired by Divya - Condensed Milk Pound Cake and Paneer Pound Cake. Each time I felt both on the sweeter side. So I reduced sugar quantity this time and this time sweetness level was just perfect for me!!!

Perfect Pound Cake

Ingredients3 tablespoons Milk

3 large Eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla (I used rose essence)
1 ½ cups sifted cake flour
¾ cup sugar (I reduced tp 1/2 cup)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
13 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened [184 gms]

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Butter an 8 inch by 4 by 2.5 inch loaf pan, or any six cup loaf or fluted tube pan.
2. Lightly whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl.
3. Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, until blended. Add the butter and half the egg mixture, and mix until dry ingredients are moistened. On medium speed, beat for one minute. This will aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down sides.
4. Add the remaining egg mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds between each addition. Scrape down sides.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth surface with a spatula. Bake for 55-65 minutes (35-45 minutes if baking in a fluted tube pan), until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool on a rack in the pan for 10 minuets before inverting onto a greased wire rack. If using a loaf pan, flip the cake over so the top is up.

For making Cake flour at home - Take one cup of all purpose flour and remove 2 tbsp from it.Replace the 2 tbsp flour with cornflour and sift together 2-3 times.Cake flour is ready to use.