Millie's Favorite Pound Cake Recipe

I was feeling nostalgic today and in honor of Valentine's Day decided to deviate and BAKE - something NOT healthy.  Unlike most normal sugar-cravers, I'm not big on chocolate.  I've had it from all over the world and if I had to pick, I'd take Dove Milk Chocolate any day.  But, really, VANILLA is my thing. . .real - excellent quality - VANILLA.

This was my Mother-In-Law's favorite Pound Cake recipe, also known as Imperial Margarine Pound Cake.  To me nothing says vanilla quite like wonderful ice cream, creme brulee' - OR - a homemade pound cake with LOTS of real Mexican, Madagascar, Indonesian, or Tahitian vanilla - today I'm using Mexican I got from a friend.  This time I made only a half recipe and baked it in a buttered-floured glass loaf pan.

A word of caution - do NOT use anything other type of margarine - it HAS to be Imperial - sticks - not tub - margarine!  Years ago I tried to make this with Blue Bonnet and it was horrible.  HOWEVER, margarine it NOT allowed in my home anymore, so I now use regular, salted butter - everything's better with butter!  Somehow, even without a leavening agent, this cake remains very dense yet rises and turns out well every time.  :-D

1 lb Imperial margarine
1 lb confectioners sugar
6 eggs 
3 cups cake flour
2-4t vanilla

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat lightly, mixing in well after each addition. Add flour and mix well. Add vanilla before, during, and after adding the flour.
~ Pour batter into a stick-free or greased and floured bundt cake pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours on 325°F. Begin watching the cake at 1 hour. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cake should be cracked on top and golden brown.
~ Cool for 5 minutes on a cake rack. Loosen the sides with a knife. Gently remove the cake from the pan while still warm.

Today I made a chocolate glaze:

1/2c  chocolate chips
1T     butter
1/4c  sour cream
2T     vanilla
4T     powdered sugar

Another variation would be to use the zest of a lemon in batter, then glaze the cake with:

1T     melted butter
1/4±c  powdered sugar
juice of one lemon and a little heavy cream

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