Almond Poppyseed Pound Cake
I'm pretty sure I've made my point about almond - the nut, the extract, the general joy of it all.
This is our favorite variation of pound cake. Have you ever made pound cake? In the old days, the recipe called for a pound each of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. Hello, yes, thank you very much. What on earth could be wrong with those ingredients?
You can make plain pound cake, with just vanilla extract, and serve it very simply with berries and whipped cream. You can add almond extract and poppyseeds like I do, make an almondy glaze to drizzle over the top, and even sprinkle with sliced almonds. You can substitute lemon for the almond, and have a delightfully light and spring-y tasting cake, perfect for serving at Easter. You could substitute brown sugar for the white sugar, toss in a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, and have some chocolate goodness. LOTS of room for interpretation.
So here it is, straight from the classic Betty Crocker cookbook, 40th Anniversary Edition.
When you read the word "bundt," and if you are so inclined, laugh hysterically remembering the bundt scene from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Adding a flower pot is up to you here.
Almond Poppyseed Pound Cake
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
5 large eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
Almond Glaze (recipe follows)
Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat sugar, butter, almond and eggs in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Increase to high speed, and beat for 3 minutes, scraping occasionally. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat dry mixture alternately with milk on low speed, until batter is combined and smooth. Stir in poppyseeds.
Spread into bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack and cool completely. Frost with Almond Glaze.
Almond Glaze
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons cream or milk
Beat all in a medium bowl til smooth and about the consistency of very thick cream. Drizzle over the top of the cake. Lick the bowl and the beaters.
This is our favorite variation of pound cake. Have you ever made pound cake? In the old days, the recipe called for a pound each of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. Hello, yes, thank you very much. What on earth could be wrong with those ingredients?
You can make plain pound cake, with just vanilla extract, and serve it very simply with berries and whipped cream. You can add almond extract and poppyseeds like I do, make an almondy glaze to drizzle over the top, and even sprinkle with sliced almonds. You can substitute lemon for the almond, and have a delightfully light and spring-y tasting cake, perfect for serving at Easter. You could substitute brown sugar for the white sugar, toss in a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, and have some chocolate goodness. LOTS of room for interpretation.
So here it is, straight from the classic Betty Crocker cookbook, 40th Anniversary Edition.
When you read the word "bundt," and if you are so inclined, laugh hysterically remembering the bundt scene from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Adding a flower pot is up to you here.
Almond Poppyseed Pound Cake
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
5 large eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
Almond Glaze (recipe follows)
Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat sugar, butter, almond and eggs in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Increase to high speed, and beat for 3 minutes, scraping occasionally. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat dry mixture alternately with milk on low speed, until batter is combined and smooth. Stir in poppyseeds.
Spread into bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack and cool completely. Frost with Almond Glaze.
Almond Glaze
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons cream or milk
Beat all in a medium bowl til smooth and about the consistency of very thick cream. Drizzle over the top of the cake. Lick the bowl and the beaters.