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Blog | (12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Seve . . .
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(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Seven: Buttermilk Pound Cake
December 12, 2011
Remember the old Sara Lee commercials? They always popped up during the holiday season. Well, I thought I knew those commercials. So, let me tell you, my mind was recently blown when I learned that jingle in those songs said, "Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee." I always, always thought they were singing, "Nobody does it like Sara Lee." Because, as a kid, Nobody Did It Like Sara Lee. At least for pound cake in our house.
On the rare occasion we had a pound cake, it was always a frozen loaf from the store. And still, I loved it. Today my love for pound cake hasn't waned. The classic "one pound of flour, one pound of butter, one pound of egg" brings a lovely simplicity to the world of chocolate-oozing, sea salt-crusted desserts. And this quiet pound cake makes a wonderful gift (to yourself or someone else) during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
This recipe doesn't use the standard 1:1:1 ratio but it's texture is still moist and rich---with a little twang of tartness from the buttermilk and lemon glaze.
While this loaf is easy to make, paying attention to two things while preparing the batter ensures success every time:
- From the beginning of the mixing process, stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to clear the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl. Scrape the adhered butter into the bowl and mix until it's thoroughly combined. This way, you won't have chunks of butter in your finished batter.
- Add the buttermilk in stages. To prevent the batter from "breaking" (not emulsifying and appearing curdled), add one-third of the dry ingredients, mix well and then add half the buttermilk. After you add the buttermilk, stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Repeat this process until all the dry ingredients and buttermilk are incorporated. The finished batter should be light and fluffy.
For the Cake
5 ounces (1 1/4 cups) white rice flour
2 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup) sweet rice flour
1.5 ounces (1/3 cup) cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze
Juice of one large lemon (about three tablespoons)
4 ounces (1 cup) confectioners' sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x5 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with solid shortening and dust with white rice flour. Set pan aside.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together white rice flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Set aside.
3. Fit stand mixer with paddle attachment. In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes. After one minute, stop mixer. Scrape paddle and sides and bottom of bowl.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Stop mixer. Scrape side and bottom of the bowl. Mix an additional minute.
5. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with buttermilk. (Begin and end with dry ingredients.) Mix thoroughly after each addition of dry ingredients and buttermilk. Stop mixer. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Add vanilla extract and blend to combine, about 30 seconds.
6. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 45 minute or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
8. Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow loaf to cool in the pan for five minutes. After five minutes, turn loaf out onto the wire rack and allow to cool completely.
9. Prepare glaze: In small bowl, slowly whisk confectioners' sugar into lemon juice. Once the loaf has cooled, place a piece of parchment under the wire rack and glaze each loaf.
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