Cooking for Friends

This past Saturday I decided to have some friends over for homemade lasagna and a special dessert. Now, I specifically picked this dessert out for one person in particular and then she wasn't able to make it. But never fear! I sent plenty home with her husband so she could enjoy! Now I am not going to walk you through how to make lasagna, there are many people with much more experience than me on that subject, but I am going to show you how amazing homemade pound cake can be!


The Perfect Summer Sweet: Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Pound Cake:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter (softened, let them sit out on the counter for an hour or so)
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small mixing bowl mix together the flour and baking soda. Using a fork make sure that the mixture is fully mixed.

In a large mixing bowl (or your stand mixer) start to cream the butter, just getting it moving around so that you know that it is soft enough to mix in the sugar. (If it balls up on the mixing paddles, let it sit out a little longer.) Go ahead and mix in all the sugar. Mix just long enough so that all the sugar is incorporated, it should look like this...

Next you will mix in the sour cream. Take enough time mixing together the sugar-butter-sour cream mixture to get the sugar granules almost completely dissolved. By doing this you will improve the cake's consistency (also a good tip to keep in mind as you make cookies.) 

FIRST

THIS NEXT PART IS IMPORTANT. Starting with the flour, add a small amount and mix in with the mixer. THEN add one egg, and mix in. Alternate flour and egg, and make sure to end with the 6th egg. By ending with the liquid ingredient you will end up with  silkier cake texture (this holds true of all cakes, so when making cake from scratch, alternate dry and liquid ingredients, and end with liquid.) Once all the flour and eggs have been used add the vanilla. (The reason vanilla is always saved for the end of the mixing process is because it has an alcohol base. During the mixing process the alcohol will evaporate and you won't be left with any of the amazing flavor.)

SECOND!

Take a tube pan (you know, like a bundt) and make sure you grease and flour it. This will make sure your pound cake slides right out of the pan after baking. Pour in the batter and make sure it has about an inch of room for growth. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour and 20 mins. (Yes, it will take that long! It's a dense cake!)

Strawberries:

While its baking take your amazingly fresh (or those ones you forgot you bought three days ago that don't look so great) strawberries and a cutting board. Slice them up accordingly (I like them slightly small) and toss them into a dish that you have a top for.Sprinkle with about 2 tbsp of sugar and mix thoroughly. Put these in the fridge, and periodically stir. Strawberries will create their own amazing juice and will stay good for a couple of days like this. (For an adult version I like to throw in a little of my favorite white sparkling wine.) 

Whipped Cream:

• Pint heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• Vanilla

HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM IS NOT HARD!!! I hope you feel the same way! There are just a few tricks that will make your life easier, you want everything to be as cold as possible. About 15 mins before I am going to turn on my mixer, I throw my metal bowl, metal whipping attachment, and the heavy whipping cream in the freezer. 

Alright, now pour the cream into the mixer and most of the powdered sugar. I honestly have no idea how much I truly throw in, so try a small amount, then taste, and add from there. Start small, then go big. Also, add a small dash of vanilla. Begin beating the cream until peaks form. Yum!

And there you have it!

Sad melting whipped cream. It was still delicious though!