Pound cake is a classic dessert and there is something comforting about its buttery, sweet simplicity. This recipe yields a dense, soft crumb and features the deep, rich flavor of dark muscovado sugar. The molasses-rich sugar lends color and flavor to an otherwise simple cake. Enjoy on its own, or perhaps with fruit compote on the side.
India Tree is a brand of muscovado that you will find in Whole Foods and well-stocked grocery stores. Combined with the large amount of sweet butter, it creates a pretty brown-sugar-colored cake that is filled with the sugar’s unique flavors.
Images: Peter Muka
Dark Muscovado Sugar Pound Cake
Author: Dédé Wilson
Makes: Serves 12 to 14
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut in small pieces
- 1¾ cups firmly packed dark Muscovado sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 large eggs, at room temperature
- Confectioners’ sugar, optional
Instructions
- Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 325°F. Thoroughly butter a 9-cup decorative ring pan, taking care to coat the center tube as well, then lightly coat with flour, tapping out any excess.
- Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl to aerate and combine; set aside.
- Beat butter on medium-high speed with flat paddle until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Beat in vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addition, allowing each egg to be absorbed before continuing. Add the flour mixture in four additions beating until smooth on low-medium speed after each addition. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes or until a bamboo skewer inserted in center shows a few moist crumbs.
- Cool pan on rack until barely warm, then unmold onto cooling rack to cool completely. Dust cooled cake with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, before serving. Store at room temperature in airtight container for up to 3 days. May also be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in zippered top bag and frozen for up to 1 month.
No comments yet.