Marybell Saves the Day

Martha Stewart's Living magazine has some interesting recipes in it, and the July 2009 edition has a beautiful spread on pound cake variations. As alluring as these photos are, don't be beguiled by her basic pound cake recipe. I made the basic recipe with the vanilla bean and ginger syrup variation; it was WAY, WAY too salty. The basic recipe calls for one whole tablespoon of coarse salt. I will forgive Martha's food editor if she writes me directly and says it was a misprint, but that cake was inedible. The variations, however, are lovely. I think they must have used two vanilla beans (pricey!) in the pictured cake, though, and I'm not that rich.

I ended up making Aunt Marybell's recipe for our cousins' dinner delivery, since Martha's was, as I mentioned, PUCKERED Beyond Repair. Marybell saves the day! It is the standard of pound cake from my childhood, and it will remain the Queen of Poundcake for all my adulthood. It can be slightly underbaked if you like somewhat gooey centers, and fully baked for still moist solid cake. Clearly, Aunt Marybell (my dad's mother's aunt) knew what she was doing, and also had a tube pan, which I do not. This recipe can be baked in two loaf pans if you are tubeless, as I am.

Also, I was trying to use up my Greek cheese/sour cream from last week, so I substituted it for the sour cream. Apparently, this recipe is indestructible! Dad says he has even cut back the eggs to 4 instead of 6. One last thing: please try toasting it by the slice, you won't regret it.

If you are going to follow this recipe exactly, and have only one mixing bowl, beat your egg whites first before making the cake recipe.

Aunt Marybell's Pound Cake Recipe
All others cower in fear!

1 c butter (softened to room temperature if you can)
3 c sugar
6 eggs (or 4 if that is all you have)
1/2 pint sour cream
1/2 t baking soda
3 c flour
1 t vanilla
1 t almond flavoring

Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Add yolks one at at time, then flavorings. Sift flour and soda and add sour cream alternately with the flour mixture. Fold in beaten egg whites and pour into a tube pan or two loaf pans. Bake approximately 1 hour, 300-325 degrees.

Vanilla Bean/Ginger Syrup Variation

Swap the vanilla and almond for 1-2 vanilla beans, scraped clean. Once cake has cooled, slice 1/4 c ginger (peeled or not) into 6 T milk. Heat until simmering, then cool. Remove ginger and mix in 2 c confectioner sugar. Drizzle on cooled cakes, top with candied ginger.