Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe

Meredith Smith
Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe

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My mom's brown sugar pound cake has a big fan base, myself included. I don't have a huge sweet tooth, and while I'll do a sliver of pecan pie or German chocolate cake, it's trusty old brown sugar pound cake that dominates my dessert plate at Thanksgiving.

Her cake is prepared a day or so in advance in tube pans (I'm always confused my the loaf pan varieties used in some regions), and it is sheer torture to wait for cake cuttin' day. The tender interior crumb contrasts with the nearly crunchy, browned edges of this substantial, but not too dense cake. And the molten brown sugar crystals transform into a dessert that has a faintly caramel flavor and is perfectly sweetened to take a scoop of ice cream on the side.

  • Yield:Serves 8-10

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 pound light brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour (White Lily works best)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, or other nuts
  • Baker's Joy

Directions

  1. 1.

    Preheat oven to 325F.

  2. 2.

    In a large bowl cream butter and shortening with electric mixer.

  3. 3.

    Add sugars and cream again. Turn the mixer on high and run a few minutes. The batter will lighten in color.

  4. 4.

    Add eggs one at a time and stir until just incorporated.

  5. 5.

    Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with milk and vanilla mixture. Add nuts.

  6. 6.

    Spray tube or Bundt pan with Baker's joy. Pour in batter and bake at 325F for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until top of the cake is set. Let cake cool in pan.

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