Elvis Presley’s Favorite Pound Cake for New Year's Eve…and my Mom’s Favorite Too

I dare say it…this is the BEST EVER pound cake I’ve ever had. And, it starts off being baked in a cold oven. How cool is that? My mom is not a fan of frosted cakes. So, for her birthday, I’ve baked this pound cake…which she loves.

The pound cake’s tenderness comes from the use of cake flour and cream, and, beating the batter for an extra five minutes.

My baking notes:

I scrape down the bowl often during the mixing process to ensure an even texture.

The batter appears to look curdled but will turn smooth and satiny at the end of the mixing process.

Use an ample amount of shortening when greasing the pan. Otherwise, the cake will not totally release.

Today is New Year’s Eve…12/31/12… I look forward to more wonderful happenings in 2013. I am grateful for all the blessings in my life.

LET’S BAKE our last cake in 2012…

ELVIS PRESLEY’S

FAVORITE POUND CAKE

Recipe on Epicurious website

Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings

Active Time: 20 min

Total Time: 3 1/2 hours (includes cooling)

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan

3 cups sifted cake flour (sift before measuring flour) plus additional for dusting

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups sugar

7 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup heavy cream

PAN INGREDIENTS

Shortening (Crisco brand) -  to butter pan

Flour – for dusting pan

DIRECTIONS:

1. PAN: Use a 10-inch tube pan (4 1/2 inches deep; not with a removable bottom) or a 10-inch bundt pan (3 1/4 inches deep; 3-qt capacity)
2. Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven.
3. Generously grease pan.  (I use shortening [Crisco brand] to generously grease the pan.)
4. Dust greased pan with flour.
5. Knock out excess flour from pan. Set pan aside.
6. FIRST SIFTING OF FLOUR: Sift about three cups cake flour in a bowl. Measure out 3 cups of sifted flour into another bowl.
7. SECOND SIFTING OF FLOUR: Sift the 3 cups sifted flour into another bowl.
8. Add salt to flour. Mix.
9. THIRD SIFTING OF FLOUR: Repeat sifting flour/salt into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).
10. BUTTER AND SUGAR: Beat together 2 sticks butter and 3 cups sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy; about 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld mixer.
11. Add eggs one at a time.
12. Beat well after each addition. (I scrape down the bowl after each addition.) Batter may appear curdled. (Not to worry.)
13. Beat in vanilla extract.
14. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour. Mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl.
15. Add all of cream. Mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl.
16. Add remaining flour. Mix well. Scrape down side of bowl.
17. BEAT at medium-high speed FIVE MINUTES. Batter will become creamier and satiny.
18. POUR BATTER INTO PAN. Smooth out the batter with a spatula. Rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles.
19. Place a piece of foil on the oven rack to catch any spills. (just a precaution)
20. Place pan in COLD OVEN and turn oven temperature to 350° Fahrenheit.
21. BAKE until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
22. COOL CAKE for total of 30 minutes:  Place cake pan on cooling rack.  Gently run a knife around outer edges of cake. Cool cake 30 minutes.  After cooling for 30 minutes, run a knife around inner and outer edges of cake. Invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely. Remove pan. Cool cake.
23. STORAGE: Cover cake well with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature 5 days.

RECIPE PHOTO TUTORIAL

BY CARMEN ORTIZ OF BAKING IS MY ZEN

ELVIS PRESLEY’S FAVORITE POUND CAKE

Recipe on Epicurious website

Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

DIRECTIONS:

PAN: Use a 10-inch tube pan (4 1/2 inches deep; not with a removable bottom) or a 10-inch bundt pan (3 1/4 inches deep; 3-qt capacity)

Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven.

Generously grease pan.  (I use shortening [Crisco brand] to generously grease the pan.)

Dust greased pan with flour.

Knock out excess flour from pan. Set pan aside.

FIRST SIFTING OF FLOUR: Sift about three cups cake flour in a bowl.

Measure out 3 cups of sifted flour into another bowl.

SECOND SIFTING OF FLOUR: Sift the 3 cups sifted flour into another bowl.

Add salt to flour. Mix.

THIRD SIFTING OF FLOUR: Repeat sifting flour/salt into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).

BUTTER AND SUGAR: Beat together 2 sticks butter and 3 cups sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy; about 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld mixer.

Add eggs one at a time.

Beat well after each addition. (I scrape down the bowl after each addition.) Batter may appear curdled. (Not to worry.)

Beat in vanilla extract.

Reduce speed to low and add half of flour. Mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add all of cream. Mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add remaining flour. Mix well. Scrape down side of bowl.

BEAT at medium-high speed FIVE MINUTES. Batter will become creamier and satiny.

POUR BATTER INTO PAN. Smooth out the batter with a spatula. Rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles.

Place a piece of foil on the oven rack to catch any spills. (just a precaution)

Place pan in COLD OVEN and turn oven temperature to 350° Fahrenheit.

BAKE until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

COOL CAKE for total of 30 minutes:  Place cake pan on cooling rack.  Gently run a knife around outer edges of cake. Cool cake 30 minutes.  After cooling for 30 minutes, run a knife around inner and outer edges of cake.

Invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely. Remove pan. Cool cake.

STORAGE: Cover cake well with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature 5 days.

Time to break out the bubbly…CHEERS!

Wishing everyone a fabulous Year in 2013!

Peace in Baking,

Carmen

Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul

Photography by Carmen Ortiz ~All Rights Reserved.

Not to be used without permission.

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