Do not throw a cold lump of butter in your mixing bowl and dump all the sugar in at once and think everything's going to be OK.
You have to do it right. There's a bunch of scientific, chemistry-like reasons for all the following information. I do not know any of it.
I did not take Chemistry.
I do know that cake batter deserves to be treated well and your cake will be the better for it.
1. ALWAYS read your recipe before you do anything.
2. If the recipe says "unsalted butter," use it. Do not try to sneak salted butter or Shedd's Spread in there.
3. Use the right pan. Size does matter, and Teflon is not our friend.
4. Center the rack. Put your empty pan in your cold oven. Adjust the rack so the body of the pan is in the middle of the oven.
5. Preheat the oven. PLEASE.
6. Prepare the pan. Grease and flour or use cooking spray with flour. Trace and cut parchment paper to fit the bottom and you'll always get the whole cake out.
7. Never open the oven during baking. And don't let anyone stomp around the kitchen, either.
Here's the Recipe:
Sour Cream Pound Cake
"The best cake I've ever had." - R.W. (colleague)
10 inch tube pan (straight sides, tube in the middle, should hold at least 16 cups of batter)
2 sticks unsalted butter (ROOM TEMPERATURE!)
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs (INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR SIZE)
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream (NO LIGHT OR FAT FREE - THIS IS A CAKE, FOR PETE'S SAKE)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
Here's how to do it:
Cream Butter and Sugar: To dissolve the sugar into the fat, you must have room temperature butter.
Set out butter (and eggs) at least an hour before you are ready to begin.
Mix butter alone for a minute or two until it is smooth. Add 1/2 cup of sugar at a time, beating for 1 minute in between. Use medium speed. I clean things while I'm waiting.
Add Eggs: One at a time, please, cracking over a small bowl to catch any rebel egg shells.
Mix in between for 1 minute.
Sift together Flour and other Dry ingredients as directed: Actually, you may whisk them together in a seperate bowl. When measuring, please scoop and level. The back of a knife will work just fine.
Alternately add Flour Mixture and Sour Cream: Start with 1 cup of flour using the lowest speed. Mix and then add 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Repeat and end with the third cup of flour. Mix again on medium speed for a minute or two.
Add Extracts: Mix on medium -high for another two minutes.
Whew, you made it. And, if you cleaned up in between steps, you have a clean kitchen.
Pour Batter into Prepared Pan: Pour the batter, easy now, into the pan and let it flow to the other side.
Never fill it to the rim. Go no higher than 1 1/2 inches below the rim. Using your rubber scraper or spatula, even out the batter. Tap the pan gently to release air pockets, which are the enemy.
Bake 90 Minutes: Yup, one and a half hours. Remember, no peeking. It's a good cake and it will behave. You may check the cake 10 minutes before the timer will go off. Gently pull out the rack halfway. Don't yank the cake pan out or it could all collapse. Use a toothpick, skewer or long knife, poke into the middle of the cake ring. If it comes out gooey, keep her cookin'. If it comes out clean, she's done.
Let it cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. When the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan and it is cool enough to handle, it's time to remove it from the pan. gently run a butter knife around the inside of the pan. (if you used a decorative Bundt pan, skip this part and hope you used enough PAM)
Invert a cake rack onto top of pan. Place one hand firmly on the top and in one motion, flip the pan so the rack is holding the cake. Gently lift the pan up and peel off the parchment paper. Place your cake plate and put it upside down on the bottom (which is at the top) of the cake. Flip it again and now your cake is on the plate with the top at the top. Cool completely before covering to avoid steam sogginess.
This cake is dense and moist and no one will know it has sour cream in it. My kids don't suspect a thing.
And Julia's not telling.
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