Melt in Your Mouth Silky Pound Cake

For many years I’ve made various and sundry versions of pound cake and like it’s name, it’s a pretty dense albeit delicious cake.

I have this wonderful cookbook, Entertaining in Jerusalem by Jeanne Weisgal, which I purchased over 25 years ago (maybe longer) from which I made many a fine dish but for whatever reason, never tried her pound cake. I’ve tried it a bunch of times more recently (yes, yes I fiddled a bit with the recipe) but found she separated the egg whites from the yolks and whipped them and that made a HUGE difference in the texture of the cake. So much so, it has become a big hit in the house since it’s not too dense, not too light and has a delectable silky texture that makes it really hard to stop eating it. Okay, that might be a problem 😉 DH sat there polishing it off and he doesn’t often do that. It’s okay tho’, he’s one of the only people I know who’s lost weight in this time of Corona…

In any event, it’s really worth the separating of the eggs. Yeah, I know it’s a pain, but yeah do it anyway.

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

So, I start with the separation and whipping of the whites first. First start whipping them and then add 1/2 a cup of the sugar slowly to the whites. Beat them on medium (not high) I find it works better over all. When they have stiffened to the point of leaving the whisk’s mark in the whites and when you remove the whisk the whites cling a bit droopily they are ready.

Scrape out with a spatula into a separate bowl.

You’ve put your egg yolks in a separate bowl or measuring cup. Now beat the softned butter/marg in the (dirty from the egg whites) mixing bowl and add the rest of the sugar. Beat till smooth and creamy.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and the beater. I do it this way so you don’t have to wash and dry the mixing bowl in the middle. Labor saving step. Add the reserved egg yolks, the grated peel of a whole orange and a whole lemon (yup yup the whole thing. The flavor makes you swoon, trust me). Add the liquor.

Now right on top of this, add the nutmeg, flour and baking powder and beat just till smooth.

Scrape scrape scrape. Then, I have no patience to fold the egg whites in gently. I simply cheat by switching the beater with the whisk attachment (remember, you’ve already used it and it’s dirty) and putting a big dollop in the mixing bowl, and much as you do a food processor, pulse the mixer on and off in little bursts to just incorporate them.

As soon as it’s whisked in, do it till you use up all the whites. If you really do teeny bursts, it incorporates beautifully without much deflation.

Finish it with your spatula, scraping from the bottom very briefly. The dough is still quite thick, that’s correct.

Pile into a greased and floured tube pan (10 inch) and smooth the top.

Place in hot oven and bake 1 hour – 1 hour and 10 minutes, check with a wooden toothpick to be sure it’s done and toothpick comes out clean.

The texture due to the whites is not fluffy but adds a silkiness I never got with other pound cakes and it’s fab. Using a knife, carefully go round the edge and tube part to help release the cake (I always do this twice to avoid aggro). When it gets cool, gently press down on cake all around and taking the serving platter, place on top of pan and flip cake out. If you wish to gild the lily, add a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries, otherwise I sift a little confectioner’s sugar over the top when the cake is completely cold.

Melt in Your Mouth Silky Pound Cake

9 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
450 grams/one pound butter or margarine very well softened, unsalted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons liquor (I used Glenlivet, don’t tell DH)
grated peel (without bitter white pith) of one whole orange and one whole lemon
1 rounded teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder (yes, this is correct. It is enough to raise the cake properly)
Confectioner’s sugar to sift over top

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Separate the eggs, placing whites in bowl of mixer with whisk beaters, put yolks aside in small bowl or measuring cup. Whip the egg whites with the half cup of sugar on medium speed till the whisks make marks in the whites and when lifted from the bowl, the mixture clings (see above pic). Gently scrape whites into another bowl and set aside. Don’t put whisk beater away, you will need them again.

Take the same (dirty) bowl and put the regular beater in. Beat the softened butter/marg and add the one and a half cups of sugar till creamy. Scrape bottom and sides to make sure butter/marg is incorporated.

Add reserved egg yolks, liquor, nutmeg, flour, salt and baking powder and beat just till smooth. Switch out the beaters for your (still dirty) whisks. Add 1/4 of the reserved egg whites and in a pulsing motion (very short on off bursts) whisk in the beaten egg whites just till mostly gone (really quick). Do this for the rest of the whites till whisked in. If you do this in really quick bursts, it will not deflate too much and incorporates better without your arm killing you. Using your spatula, scrape from below to make sure it’s mixed in (very briefly).

Pile batter into a greased and floured (yes, do this so it doesn’t stick and the cake won’t release, not to be desired!!!) 10 inch tube pan and smooth the top. Place in hot oven and bake for an hour to an hour and ten minutes or till a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and release from pan (see above) and flip onto serving platter. Sift with confectioner’s sugar.