I’ve heard of pound cakes, and i think I may have eaten some, but never made one. A pound cake is so called because each of the ingredients weighs a pound. The recipe I’m looking at which is about ninety years old is more modest, it’s only a quarter of a pound which is probably quite enough these days. In the past if you had a big family, or lots of neighbours dropping round then I guess having a big cake at the ready was perfect. I had thought a pound cake contained dried fruit – maybe some recipes do, but this one doesn’t. I think I shall make it for my writing group who are meeting here at home tomorrow.
Pound cake – actually, a quarter pound cake!
- ¼ lb flour
- ¼ lb sugar
- ¼ lb margarine
- ¼ lb eggs weighed in their shell, cracked, separated, whites whisked to a stiff froth
- zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- a little milk to mix
- nice cups of tea as required to serve!
- cream the sugar and margarine until pale and fluffy
- stir in each yolk separately and beat well
- stir in flour and zest, add a little milk if necessary
- fold in the egg whites
- pour into a small cake tin (7″ I guess!) and bake at 325º F, 160º C, gas mark 3 for about 45 mins, lowering temperature if the cake is getting to dark on the top
- serve with a nice cup of tea
Lois Elsden 