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What is the secret to a good pound cake?
"Pound cake should be light, with a finely textured, moist, and even crumb," says Claire Saffitz, BA's associate food editor and baker extraordinaire. She has created, tested, and made dozens of pound cakes, plus she's well-versed in the science of baking (yep, it's a science).
What is the best flour for pound cakes?
Cake FlourCake Flour: Cake flour is lighter than all-purpose flour and produces the best pound cake in my opinion. Since it's so light, the attention remains on the butter. All-purpose flour is simply too heavy for this pound cake recipe; the cake will be heavy as a brick.
What causes a sad pound cake?
And once any flour is added, the mixing has to be slower still. Developing the flour's gluten too much means the cake will rise beautifully in the oven – then sink (a little, or a lot) as soon as you pull it out. And the sinking cake is what makes dense, moist, gluey streaks.
Is milk or water better for pound cake?
Pound cake does not require milk of any kind. In fact, those that are lactose intolerant will prefer a no milk pound cake, but it can be added to make the cake creamier. It can also be used in glazed toppings on the cake to produce the right amount of thickness.
What makes a pound cake rise high?
If you over-beat the eggs, the air in the eggs will cause the cake to rise. It will create a crust that will rise higher than the cake (the same way that eggs can create a crust in brownies, they can create a crust in cakes as well).
What temperature should you bake a pound cake?
DirectionsPreheat oven to 350°F. ... Add eggs, a bit at a time, beating well after each addition. ... Transfer pan to oven, reduce temperature to 325°, and bake until top is golden and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour, 5 minutes.More items...
What makes a pound cake sink in the middle?
Too much leavening agent like baking soda or powder can cause a cake to rise too high too quickly. The gas from the leavening agents builds up and escapes before the cake bakes through in the center. This causes the center to collapse and makes your cake layers sink in the middle.
How do you keep a pound cake moist?
Adding buttermilk, sour cream, or cream cheese gives more moisture and flavor to the cake. The acid in buttermilk and sour cream produces a very fine crumb because it tenderizes the gluten in the flour. Sour cream and cream cheese add so much richness that cakes made with them are super moist and almost springy.
Can you over mix a pound cake?
Over beating eggs and dry ingredients can bring in too much air, which can cause dryness. It also activates gluten, which impacts the texture of the cake. Too much mixing will make it tough and rubbery.
Why does my pound cake crack on top?
Pound cakes often have cracked tops because the batter is so dense. The exterior of the cake cooks first, which can cause the batter to rise up and crack in the center. How to prevent a crack: If you really can't stand cracks, bake the cake in a tube pan, rather than a loaf pan.
Is butter or oil better for cakes?
The texture of cakes made with oil is—in general—superior to the texture of cakes made with butter. Oil cakes tend to bake up loftier with a more even crumb and stay moist and tender far longer than cakes made with butter.
What does sour cream do to cake?
Sour cream is one of the fattiest dairy products; the extra fat content (for example, adding sour cream to a cake instead of milk) will make the cake moister and richer, says Wilk. "Fat, in any form (butter, lard, cream, etc.) shortens gluten strands, which essentially leads to the most tender baked goods," she adds.