Pound cake
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Pound cake denotes two related types of dessert cakes:
[edit] Southern style
A traditional American pound cake would specify one pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. This recipe is quite popular in Southern states and is usually a staple at picnics and potlucks. American pound cakes are lighter but often contain an abundance of butter to provide a rich taste and are considered a staple in the cuisine of the Southern United States.
[edit] Madeira or British style
"Pound cake" is also the American English name for a type of fruitcake known in British English as a Madeira cake. Its name, "Pound cake", originated from the ingredients used in quantities of English pounds. This results in a large, dense cake not often suited to modern American tastes, though the style (if not the size) is still popular in Britain.
A traditional British Pound Cake recipe would specify one pound each of flour, butter, eggs (8 eggs), sugar, and several kinds of dried fruit (currants, sultanas, and raisins, with perhaps a lesser quantity of glacé cherries). (These quantities are too great for most modern families, but the cake can be made with half quantities or less.) It is usual to weigh the eggs first and then use the same weights of the other ingredients; with a traditional pair of kitchen scales, the eggs are simply used instead of weights.
[edit] See also
- "Pound Cake Speech", the common name for a speech by comedian/activist Bill Cosby to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.
