Lemon Walnut-Sour Cream Pound Cake
The Sweet Melissa Baking Book by Melissa Murphy
Page 28-29 (Mar: I found this already out on the Internet)
FOR THE CAKE
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
FOR THE GLAZE
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
BEFORE YOU START
Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 1 1/2-quart loaf pan.
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, sugar and zest, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, almond extract, and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter in two batches, alternating with the sour cream. Do not over mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gently fold in the walnuts, saving some to sprinkle on top.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before inverting onto a rack for glazing.
4. For the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and lemon juice and heat to a high simmer. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until reduced by half.
5. Using a pastry brush, brush the hot glaze on the still-warm unmolded cake. Brush again, if desired, after 10 minutes. Let cool before slicing.
The pound cake keeps well wrapped in plastic wrap for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze well wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Defrost still wrapped at room temperature.
(Mar's Notes" This did come out of the oven witha nice little bump/crack in the middle. That baked crunchiness is possibly my most favorite part of any bread. Spoken by one who has eaten the entire TOP off a loaf of crunchy, cracked banana bread and then threw out the rest of the loaf. That kind of cracked.
But alas, the crack deflated and the top of the loaf ended up completely flat. So...if flat's what you're looking for, this might be just the ticket. Admittedly, I took it out of the oven at 1 hour 15 minutes, so that extra 15 minute boundary limit she gives may have kept the rise afterward. Won't know until I try this again. Which I will since I still have 2 cups of sour cream in the frig.
I also completely forgot about the final glaze and can honestly say it didn't need it. However...that said, by Tuesday, the untoasted final slice was just the slightest bit dry...so that glaze may have helped then. Or toasting it. Made it Saturday morning and we thought the flavor profile almost doubled by Sunday. So give it a bit of time to ripen.
Very nice with tea and sobs over Downton Abbey. The Rat Bastards.
The Sweet Melissa Baking Book by Melissa Murphy
Page 28-29 (Mar: I found this already out on the Internet)
FOR THE CAKE
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
FOR THE GLAZE
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
BEFORE YOU START
Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 1 1/2-quart loaf pan.
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, sugar and zest, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, almond extract, and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter in two batches, alternating with the sour cream. Do not over mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gently fold in the walnuts, saving some to sprinkle on top.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before inverting onto a rack for glazing.
4. For the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and lemon juice and heat to a high simmer. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until reduced by half.
5. Using a pastry brush, brush the hot glaze on the still-warm unmolded cake. Brush again, if desired, after 10 minutes. Let cool before slicing.
The pound cake keeps well wrapped in plastic wrap for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze well wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Defrost still wrapped at room temperature.
(Mar's Notes" This did come out of the oven witha nice little bump/crack in the middle. That baked crunchiness is possibly my most favorite part of any bread. Spoken by one who has eaten the entire TOP off a loaf of crunchy, cracked banana bread and then threw out the rest of the loaf. That kind of cracked.
But alas, the crack deflated and the top of the loaf ended up completely flat. So...if flat's what you're looking for, this might be just the ticket. Admittedly, I took it out of the oven at 1 hour 15 minutes, so that extra 15 minute boundary limit she gives may have kept the rise afterward. Won't know until I try this again. Which I will since I still have 2 cups of sour cream in the frig.
I also completely forgot about the final glaze and can honestly say it didn't need it. However...that said, by Tuesday, the untoasted final slice was just the slightest bit dry...so that glaze may have helped then. Or toasting it. Made it Saturday morning and we thought the flavor profile almost doubled by Sunday. So give it a bit of time to ripen.
Very nice with tea and sobs over Downton Abbey. The Rat Bastards.