Pound Cake

Pound per pound, the best cake ever!

After 20 years of keeping one of the few secrets I have, I finally gave in and shared my pound cake recipe. I have been making it for years for only the most special people in my life. This pound cake is the most coveted sweet food item that I produce and I have never shared the recipe with anyone...until recently and under pressure.

This recipe was originally shared with me by my best friend Denise and it was her Mother's family recipe for generations. It has now become a Forquer-Carmona tradition. At Christmas, Denise would give us a whole tube pan sized loaf and it was the best gift my husband could have wished for. The first thing you notice is the weight of the cake, which foretells the richness and density. It is not the original southern recipe which calls for a “pound of butter, pound of flower. It has evolved into a finely crumbed cake which manages to be dense enough to satisfy the most ardent pound cake lover, and yet, light enough that one could have multiple slices in one sitting.

A nice rise in a loaf pan means a light and scrumptious cake.

The cake is so coveted by my family, that when I bake two loaf pans, I have to hide one so that it's not devoured in one day. But if my sister comes into the house, she can literally sniff it out from it’s hiding place. This recipe is now part of my family and my extended family. My friend Denise is like a sister to me and she has played an intimate role in our family history for the past 40 plus years. Her mother, who provided the recipe, no longer cooks or bakes, and I would like to think that she would be happy about sharing this recipe and in doing so, carrying on her baking legacy. I am hopeful that when I can no longer bake, someone (I’m talking to you girls!) will take this recipe and share it with friends and loved ones. The holiday season is the perfect time to bake up batches of this scrumptious cake to give to someone you cherish. Be sure to make two though, or it might not make it out of the house.

The recipe is simple, but follow the instructions as written. I can tell you that the smell of the finished product is irresistible...try it and you'll see. You can think of this recipe as a jumping off point for adding other flavors, like orange, cinnamon, almond. Experiment. Have fun. Enjoy the tasting!

The recipe is for one large pound cake in a bunt or tube pan, or two - loaf pan size (best for sharing).