Best Poundcake (with a MIX !!)

Submitted by: jej
Last Updated: 11/19/2005

"Yes, it starts with a mix, but it makes the Best Poundcake." So wrote Anne Byrn in the Sunday Sentinel/Journal (7/31/05). She continued:

"My aunts are a delightful group of older ladies -- opinionated, lively and big-hearted. And they all love good food.

"So when you are invited to one of their houses for a summer potluck party, you know to tote along something good.

"You will want to bring a recipe that will pique their curiosity and have them talking.

"And so it is with this poundcake.

"It was a summer barbecue, perfect poundcake season, when I had the nerve to bring one that began with a mix.

"Oh, they might have expected a layer cake or a bundt cake started with a mix, but a poundcake? In the South? Let's say they were skeptical ... at first.

This is a terrific poundcake to serve alongside the best sliced peaches you can find, the ending to a nice Sunday lunch, one that begins with chicken, mashed potatoes and fresh peas and quickly moves into dessert.

"Five time-shaving desserts using frozen or fresh poundcake:
1) Strawberry trifle (layers of poundcake, vanilla pudding, fruit and whipped cream, drizzled with sherry or orange juice).
2) Lemon curd trifle (substitute lemon curd for the pudding).
3) Layer ice cream and poundcake slices, freeze, then slice.
4) Toast poundcake slices and top with sweetened berries.
5) Cut cake into cubes, toss them with liqueur of your choice, and place in a goblet with a small scoo of vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit or chocolate sauce on top."

THE BEST POUNDCAKE

Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pan
1 c. flour, plus more for dusting the pan
8 T. (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. sugar
5 large eggs
1 package (18.25 oz.) plain yellow cake mix
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream, room temperature
1 c. evaporated milk
1 T. vanilla extract (that's right: 1 Tablespoonful)

1) Lightly grease a 10-inch tube pan with vegetable shortening, then dust it with flour. Shake out excess flour. Set tube pan aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Place butter and oil in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-low until creamy, 1 minute.

3) Add sugar and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating each until the yolks of the eggs have just been incorporated.

4) Stop machine and scrape down side of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add cake mix, 1 cup of flour and the sour cream, evaporated milk and vanilla. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until batter is thick and well blended, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer, scraping down side of bowl again if necessary. Pour batter into prepared tube pan, smoothing it out with a rubber spatula.

5) Bake cake on center rack of preheated oven until it is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 60 to 65 minutes.

6) Remove tube pan from oven and place it on a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Run a dinner knife around edge of cake, shake it gently to loosen it and invert it onto a rack. Allow cake to cool completely, 20 minutes longer. Makes 12 servings.

NOTES: Store this cake, loosely covered with plastic wrap or in a cake saver, at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in alluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Both tube pans and bundt pans have holes in the center.

Bundt pans have fluted curving sides.

The sides of a tube pan, sometimes referred to as an angel food cake pan, are straight. Tube pans sometimes come with removable bottoms.