Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake & July's Give-Away Apron

While I was grocery shopping last week, I came across a curious looking product in the produce section...near the berries, Glaze for Strawberries.

I imagine it is meant for glazing fresh fruit pies, but as my mind goes, I thought it would be perfect swirled through my favorite cake--pound cake.

Dating back to the early 1700s in Northern England, a pound cake refers to any recipe that has a ratio of 1:1:1:1; butter, sugar, eggs and flour.  I know, all too well, it's a staple in the South and can be dressed up in a number of ways, grilled, or broken up as a base in Trifle.  My mother and I chose pound cakes for wedding and anniversary cakes for it's denseness and ability to freeze well when making up multiple layers prior to the big date; a big plus considering we didn't have a "walk-in" refrigerator like most bakeries:-D

Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
1-8oz pkg. cream cheese
6 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup (approx. 12 tsps.) Glaze for Strawberries

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Grease and flour (or use a baking spray with both in it) a 12-cup Bundt pan.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter well.  Gradually add the sugar while the mixer is running.  Scrape down sides, as needed, with a rubber spatula.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down the sides once more.  Add the flavorings and mix again.

Add the flour and salt and beat until combine, then, on medium speed beat 1 minute more.  Measure the batter in thirds--I use a large scoop to do this.

 Smooth the batter with a small off-set spatula, then, add 6 tsp. Strawberry Glaze.

Use a long wooden skewer or kitchen knife to swirl the glaze through the batter.

Repeat with another layer of batter and 6 more tsp. of glaze.  Finally, add the last 1/3 of the batter to cover.

Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, checking by inserting a wooden skewer in the center and making sure it comes out cleanly.  Cool cake completely before slicing...something I didn't do and as you can see, compressed the bottom a bit:-(

I love the bright strawberry swirl and all this pound cake needed was a dusting of confectioners' sugar and some fresh strawberries (macerated with a little sugar) to top it off. Enjoy!

Summer is definitely upon us and getting use to humidity is something I'm trying to do!  I couldn't help remembering the wonderful times spent on the Chesapeake Bay to cool off on my dad's sailboat--Rhianna. My dad name her for the Irish green-eyed witch (nymph) and my girls loved to
 sit on the side and ask "Granddad" to tilt the boat so their feet would go into the water!

To be eligible for this beauty, simply comment on any of the posts this month.  Good luck!

Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Pound cake is like a "little black dress" that you can accessorize in a number of ways.  I've made literally hundreds of pound cakes in my lifetime and it's still my go to dessert that my hubby never gets tired of.

Meyer Lemons finally showed up in our grocery store and I couldn't wait to run home and make this luscious cake in a new cake pan I discovered at Sur La Table.  The Meyer lemon is from China and is thought to be a cross between a lemon and mandarin orange. It was introduce to the United States in 1908 by an agricultural explorer, Frank Nicholas Meyer.  The thinner skin is perfect for zest and I think it produces much more juice than the common variety we have in the stores.

This Four Bundt pan is larger than minis, but smaller than the 10 or 12 cup version--perfect size to freeze for us "empty-nesters" or to give as gifts.  With the addition of poppy seeds, this  pound cake would be great for breakfast, but also make a lovely dessert with some berries.

Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 large eggs
3 cups Cake Flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Spray 12-cup Bundt pan (or small 4 Bundt pan + loaf pan) with a baking spray that has a flour addition.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter completely.  Rub the zest into the sugar then, add to the butter gradually, beating until fluffy.  Add juice and vanilla extract and beat once more.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.  

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds together and add to the batter.  Beat on medium until completely combined.  Scraping down the sides as needed.

If you're using a 12-cup bundt pan place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325F-degrees and continue baking 45 to 55 minutes, testing the center with a wooden skewer that should come out cleanly.

I measured the batter among the 4 Bundt pan and a glass loaf pan.

I started them in the 350F-degree oven for 15 minutes, then, lowered the temperature to 325F-degrees for 30 minutes for the 4 Bundt pan and left the loaf pan in another 15 minutes.
Total time: 4 Bundt pan - 45 minutes; Loaf pan - 60 minutes.

You can dust the tops with confectioner's sugar or as I like to do, make a glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 T Light Karo Syrup

Whisk all ingredients together in a 2-cup bowl and pour over the slightly cooled cakes.

A simple and easy cake that never ceases to delight my family. Enjoy!

Blood Orange Pound Cake

It's been such a dreary Winter for most; snow and more snow predicted in the next few days, that I thought a lovely citrus cake would make it more manageable!

Pound cake and chocolate cake were my mother's two favorites to bake.  I remember the first I made one with her and just loving the golden color from the eggs and butter...it made me happy.  Admittedly, I went to the market to buy Meyer Lemons for this pound cake, but was told, "they aren't in season yet."  Then, I saw these lovely gems called Blood Oranges and I knew it was meant to be.

The blood orange is a variety of orange that is smaller than it's familiar "cousin."  The distinctive, dark maroon flesh is due to anthocyanins, a family of antioxidant pigments found in some fruits and flowers, but not citrus fruits!  It's consider a mutation of the sweet orange and I have to say, I was delighted by it's intriguing color and the taste.  As you can see from the bottom photo, it's rind is definitely thicker and much tougher to peel, but don't let that deter you of it's unique flavor.

Blood Orange Pound Cake
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
zest from 2 Blood Oranges
4 T fresh Blood Orange juice
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
8 large eggs
3 cups Queen Guinevere Cake Flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Spray a 12-cup Bundt or Tube pan with a non-stick baking spray.
Into a small bowl, measure the granulated sugar and add the zest from the oranges.  Use your fingers to "rub" the zest into the sugar to maximize the aroma and flavor of the oranges.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter until fluffy.  Add the sugar and cream once more, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping the sides again.

Add the vanilla extract and fresh orange juice and mix on medium speed.  Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl and hand whisk to combine.  Add to the butter/egg mixture and beat on low speed until combined, then on medium for 1 minute.

Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.

Place the pan in the oven and close the door.  Bake for 15 minutes, then, lower the temperature to 325F-degrees and continue baking another 45-50 minutes.  (A wooden skewer poked into the cake should come out cleanly.)  Remove from the oven and allow to set in the pan about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/4 cup (approx) of juice from the two oranges with 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar to make a glaze.  Poke some holes into the cake top (as it's resting in the pan) and pour the warm glaze over the top.

I used a straight, metal spatula to make sure the sides were loose, then, turned the cake out onto the serving platter.  

 Although it was a very pretty cake in this position, I decided to flip it to its original, upright position for serving.

My mother would say, "all a good pound cake needs is a dusting of confectioners' sugar."  And, that's all that I did~

Hubby loved the flavor and the simplicity of the cake, which is his favorite.  Stay warm, Enjoy!
  

Lemon~Poppy seed & Blueberry Pound Cake & July's Give-Away Apron

I had every intention to post this recipe and July's apron yesterday, but my day got away from me with all the packing ~

~and not even a dent in what has to be done:-((  But, I do know that I'm a task oriented person and I will be ready to move by July 31st.

However, I did concentrate, while baking, on the wonderful 4th of July picnics my mom would host.  The great food, including Chesapeake steamed crabs, fried chicken, corn on the cob & tomatoes from the garden, and lots of desserts.  There would be pies, brownies, and bundt cakes and we all made sure we saved room to have some.  Of course, the softball game with family and friends that was played in the field my grandfather had cleared helped our appetites!

Poppy seeds are an oilseed from the opium poppy; my hubby always jokes when I use them that he will fail his drug test!  The earliest recollection of them in food dates back to 1500 b.c. by the Sumerians.  I love combining lemon and poppy seeds together in cakes and thought the addition of some fresh blueberries would be a bonus addition...and a little remembrance of the baked goods we enjoyed at Mom's.

Lemon~Poppy seed & Blueberry Pound Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup poppy seeds
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon (you will add the juice to the glaze!)
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk*
2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and dried

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T Light Karo syrup
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Spray a 12-cup Bundt cake pan with a non-stick baking spray.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar thoroughly.  Add the lemon zest and extracts and beat again.  Add the poppy seeds and beat to combine.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

Mix the dry ingredients together and add alternatively with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix on medium speed for 1 minute more.  Fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.

Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes.  The cake I baked yesterday took 63 minutes to bake, but I originally set the timer on 55 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool about 10 minutes before inverting it to a serving platter.  Cool the cake about 30 minutes before adding the glaze.

I love the sweetness of the blueberries in contrast to the tartness of the lemon and the added crunch of poppy seeds.  It made for a lovely ending to a day of packing:-D  Next year, being closer to family, I will start again the tradition of the 4th of July picnics that my mom put on each year...with my twist. Enjoy!

Now, I did sew an apron and will not "miss a beat" while all this commotion goes on.  I just love the old-fashioned look of the fabric and by coincidence the red~white & blue makes it even more special.  Just post a comment during the month and you're entered to win this treasure. XOXO

Happy belated 4th ~ I hope y'all (practicing my accent!) had a safe and wonderful holiday:-D