Sour Cream Citrus Pound Cake

A few mere days ago, my biggest views per day number was 65 and I had hoped that maybe someday soon I would hit 100. I figured a reasonable goal. Well I am so proud to say that thanks to all of you coming over from foodgawker, because I have hit well over 700 now in one day! And of course that got me a little sentimental and made me start looking back through my blog posts. I went back to my very first recipe I posted and (gasp!) will you believe I didn't put a picture with it? Nope. Not one photo. Not even a quick camera shot from my phone! So I figured it was high time we got a photo of what I have come to believe is the best pound cake I have put to my lips.  Seriously, folks, I can't stress to you just how good this cake is. I finally present to you (with photo) my sour cream citrus pound cake.

This cake is light and bursting with fresh citrus flavor. I think what sets this cake over the edge is the tangy yet sweet lemon icing.  This cake is a citrus pound cake and not a lemon pound cake, because this cake is made with the zest of a lemon, lime, AND orange! If zesting is new to you, a microplane makes quick work and leaves you with pretty small ribbons of citrus.  You want the colorful outer rind, but be careful not to zest down too far. You don't want the white pith (that bitter part of the citrus right under the zest).  Pith make not a flavorful anything! The zest is where all the beautiful citrus oils are hanging out and provides a punch of citrus flavor.

 

I made this cake in a bundt pan this time, but generally I make it in two loaf pans. The bundt pan was great for presentation, but I think the loaf pans allow for more cake to icing ratio.  So if I were you make it in a loaf pan if you are like me and live for the sweet gooey icing.  If presentation is what you are going for, you could always make more icing!  This cake make a great Christmas present for family members, co-workers, the mailman, whoever is on your list.  I made it for my co-workers last year and it was well received and got the stamp of approval statement of "I must have that recipe."

So, now after what has been technically two years (with a whole lot of stops and starts in there). I present to you my first recipe post finally with picture! Thanks to all who have visited, read, and hopefully you will visit again.


Sour Cream Citrus Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze
From Cambridge School of Culinary Arts

from Boston Girl Bakes

Print this recipe!

Ingredients for Cake:

1 cup unsalted butter
2 1/4  cups sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Grated zest of 1 orange, 1 lemon, 1 lime
Directions:
1. Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
2.  In another bowl, combine grated orange, lemon, and lime zests, vanilla extract and sour cream.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.   Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the mixing bowl well after each addition and mix until blended.  Add dry and wet ingredients alternately to butter-sugar-egg mixture until uniformly incorporated- do not overmix.
4. Grease and flour one bundt cake pan (or 2 large loaf pans- or 6-7 mini loaf pans).  Pour batter into pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for approximately 50 minutes (be sure to lower the baking time if you are making things smaller).  The cake is done when a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool before glazing.

Lemon Glaze
1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon zest

Mix all ingredients until smooth.  Pour over top of cake and serve.  For a thicker glaze use less lemon juice.

d.i.y. homemade yellow cake mix

In an attempt to become a little "greener" and healthier, I decided to post for you this homemade yellow cake mix. I don't know about you but cake batter desserts are the new black. There are so many "cake batter" recipes out there right now calling for a box of yellow cake mix. Have you ever taken the time to look at what is in that yellow cake mix? Don't get me wrong, I grew up on boxed cake mix. My mother could roast a mean chicken, but when it came to cakes and things, Betty Crocker reigned. She tells the story that when she was married her mother in law taught her what it meant to "bake from scratch". She said she had no idea a cake didn't come out of a box.

Since my mother's "betty crocker" days I have come to never rely on a boxed cake mix. I personally like the hassle of getting all the ingredients out and knowing that "I made that". I personally believe that it is worth it. Not only does it taste better, but you know what is in it. No preservatives here folks!

The thing is as much as I am a baking purist, I am also a realist. I completely understand that sometimes you just don't have time to bake from scratch. That is where this do it yourself cake mix will save your day. You can make this mix ahead of time and store it in your freezer. So when you need a last minute dessert or you just have a craving for these you can just pull out this mix from the freezer.

I made this mix in my 6-cup food processor. It filled it almost the brim so be careful! It made about 5 cups of mix. When I made my cake batter blondies I used about 3 1/2 cups of mix to make these. I can't wait to try out all of these cake batter recipes out there. Any suggestions on what to make next with my mix?

d.i.y. yellow cake mix
I got it from Brown Eyed Baker, who got it from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, who got it from Cook's Country
Visit Mel's to see how to turn that diy cake mix into a cake!

Print this recipe!

2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup non fat dry milk powder
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes, cold)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sugar, both flours, milk powder, baking powder and salt. Process for 15 seconds. Add the pieces of butter and lightly toss with a fork so they are coated with the flour mixture. Sprinkle the vanilla over the top. Pulse until the mixture is fine and crumbly, about 10 one-second pulses. Use immediately or store in an airtight bag or container in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Simple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

I don't know what it is about bringing a cake to someone's house. Especially a carrot cake. Everyone is always incredibly impressed. I always feel a tad guilty accepting all of the wonderful praise. One, it's not my recipe (thank you again Cook's Illustrated!). Two, it truly is easy to make a cake from scratch. You just have to be willing to invest a little bit more time and elbow grease. This recipe though definitely is a good go to carrot cake recipe. It was moist, full of carrot and spice flavor. I am usually very, very critical of my own baking (even when I am getting all that praise), but this cake I have to admit did deliver. I hate when a carrot cake is really just a glorified spice cake overloaded by a cream cheese icing flavor. Don't get me wrong, I love any good cake. And cream cheese icing? Don't get me started. It is just that when it comes to carrot cake I want a CARROT cake.  This recipe I believe did succeed. Of course, knowing me it will not be the last carrot cake recipe I will try.

To make the cake, I grated all my carrots by hand. Yes, you can definitely use a food processor. I chose to do this by hand. It's a great way to not feel guilty when you have to skip the gym because you just HAD to make a cake.

I also only added toasted walnuts to my cake. Feel free to add pecans, or omit. You can also add pineapple chunks, raisins, or coconut. Me? I am a carrot cake purist! Ok- and it is just easier and cheaper. Personally, the cake was delicious without all the add-ins. To each his own.

Making a cake from scratch is truly satisfying though. And I am truly on a "make everything from scratch" kick (more like a moving train that has no plan of stopping). The more you read box labels (or attempt to because you can't read half of what is on the label!) the more you may be tempted to also bake everything you can from scratch. Even grate your carrots by hand.

Simple Carrot Cake
Originally from Cook's Illustrated


makes one 13 by 9-inch cake- I baked mine in two 9 inch round pans.

you can add walnuts and raisins, both or neither, if you do both, add about ten minutes onto your baking time.


I also added toasted crushed walnuts to the outside of the cake. It looks pretty and also covers up any frosting faux-pas one might have.
Ingredients:2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound (6 to 7 medium) carrots, peeled

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups safflower, canola, or vegetable oil


Directions:
1. for the cake: adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. spray 13 by 9-inch baking pan (or two 9-inch round pans) with nonstick cooking spray. 
2. whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside.
3. Grate 6-7 medium carrots by hand. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine sugars and eggs and mix until frothy and thoroughly combined. While mixer is running, add oil. 
5. Stir in dry ingredients, until no flour remains.
6.If you use a food processor- in food processor fitted with large shredding disk, shred carrots (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside. Wipe out food processor workbowl and fit with metal blade. process granulated and brown sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds. with machine running, add oil through feed tube in steady stream. process until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer. scrape mixture into medium bowl. stir in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. 
7. Pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. 


Cream Cheese Frosting
Originally from Annie's Eats


* I ended up making 3 batches of this frosting to frost my cake. I did have a little leftover. But I would prefer that as opposed to not enough. If you make a sheet cake- I would put money on it that one batch would suffice!


8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted


1. Cream together cream cheese and butter.
2. Add vanilla extract.
3. Add sugar (I add a 1/2 cup to a cup at a time- just to avoid a huge mess!) and mix until delcious and creamy!
4. Try to avoid eating it straight from the bowl and allow your cake to cool to frost.