Jan
23

Orange & raisin pound cake

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poundcake1

Pound cake is definitely a classic cake and it is the cake to make to impress your mother-in-law.   And his son.   Making a cake does not have to be a tiring process, as in making layered cakes, with all the filling and decoration.   Pound cake is a simple cake and taste better the next day, too.  It is also suitable to be covered with fondant, because it is quite solid.   The recipe, makes one 8 inch cake  :

 
1 1/4 cup salted butter or 280 gm
Grated zest from one orange
1 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon orange emulco
1 teaspoon lemon paste
5 large eggs
2  1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup orange juice (from about 2 oranges)
1/4 cup sour cream / yogurt ( I use whipping cream)
1 cup raisin/ sultana/ currant
 

First soak the raisin in hot water.  After the raisins are plump, remove the water, wipe dry and toss in some flour to coat it.  Combine the flour and baking powder, sift.   Put the orange juice and sour cream in a small bowl and  stir together.  

To make the cake, cream the butter, sugar and the orange zest for about 6 minutes on medium speed.  Then add the orange emulco and lemon paste.  Once all is mixed well, break the eggs one by one.  Next, reduce the speed of your mixer.  Add the flour, alternating with the juice.   Do not over mix.   Lastly, throw in the raisin.   

Bake at 160 C for about 1 hour and 15 minutes   The cake won’t rise very much as the baking powder used is very little.   Pound cake is versatile, you can add nuts and other fruit or flavours.   You’ll get a new cake each time.  For the leftover, use it to make trifle and other desserts.   You could also make this cake in smaller baking tins as gifts.  Happy baking !