Easy Pound Cake

I always believe that baking is culinary magic. Baking has the reputation of being more difficult than cooking. Mastering this task requires both talent and a love for the process. The great baker is attentive to technique, details, and timing and also the measurement of ingredients is extremely important to make a great cake. Luckily for someone like me, some baking recipes can be learned from a book. The pound cake is an example of what an untalented baker can achieve at home. The true pound cake, which is made with equal weights of each key ingredient, for me, is way too heavy for today's healthy taste. I found this recipe and made some changes for my own taste, and the result is fantastic. I can have a few slices of the cake without feeling guilty.

Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour, sifted a few times
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 ½ sticks of butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9” x 5” loaf pan (or line the bottom with wax or parchment paper).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until very creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to beat for an additional two minutes or until lightened in color. Gradually dribble in the egg mixture (about 1/4 cup at a time). Add all the flour in 3 stages, beating on low speed until smooth and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake in the preheat oven for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Slide a thin knife around the cake to detach it from the loaf pan.