The holiday season is over and I'm ready to make this new year a great one. I have never been a big believer in resolutions, but I do believe that we can all focus on positive, productive things in our lives that will make us happier! I'm going to start with a few key ideas and adjust and adapt as the year goes on.
You already know one area of my life that gives me great joy...baking. When I really examine why I like it so much, the reasons come pouring out...the very physical nature of the act of baking...stirring a thick, sweet batter, smelling a delicious aroma, putting on soft, padded oven mitts, feeling the warmth of the oven on my face, tasting and testing...all of this makes it such a wonderful experience.
So of course I started the new year by baking an old favorite, chocolate marbled pound cake. I can't think of too many things that remind me more of comfort and home than pound cake. It's sweet, but not too sweet so you can eat it at any time of day with just about any beverage hot or cold. It's substantial and satisfying. It's easy to make, uses only a few ingredients and you can bake it in loaf or round pans. Most pound cakes taste better a day or two after baking (if you are able to resist temptation) so a longer-than- most-baked-goods shelf life is in their favor.. You can frost it, glaze it, dunk it, toast it, dust it with powdered sugar or top it with whipped cream or ice cream. It travels well, packs easily and everyone loves it! What's not to like?
At this point you may be asking how my positive, productive ideas led to baking a pound cake. One of the things I'm going to focus on this year is eating fewer foods that are highly processed. I'm going to try to eat more whole foods and more things that I've made myself instead of getting them out of a package!! I've always used the best ingredients I can find and will continue to use organic ingredients whenever they're available. Since I'm not about to give up sweets, I need to be sure that the ones I eat are as wholesome as possible.
I'm going to attempt to cook more and bake lots of different things this year. Chocolate marbled pound cake is a great way to begin.
Chocolate Marbled Pound Cake
4 sticks butter softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
Let butter, eggs and milk rest to room temperature. They should not be cold when you start the mixing process.
Beat softened butter at medium speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time. I crack each one into a measuring cup and then pour it, individually, in the mixing bowl. That way I am sure that no egg shells or rotten eggs make their way into my cake! Mix after each addition, only until the bright yellow yolk disappears.
Add the all-purpose flour to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix at low speed until blended. Add vanilla.
Measure one cup of vanilla cake batter. In a separate bowl, blend chocolate syrup with the measured one cup of vanilla cake batter and stir until blended.
Pour half of vanilla batter into a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Spoon half of chocolate batter on top, gently swirl batter with knife and then tap pan on countertop.
Repeat with another layer of vanilla batter followed by chocolate batter. Gently swirl, tap the pan on countertop and bake at 325 for 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes our clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
First layer of batter in a 10-inch, buttered and floured, tube pan.
Add one-half of the chocolate batter on top. Run a knife through it and tap the pan on the counter.
Repeat with a second layer of vanilla and chocolate batter.
Out of the oven, cooling on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Keep it simple...a cup of hot tea and a slice of delicious pound cake.
Now where's that book I've been meaning to read??
If you're heading back to work or getting the kids off to school, try making this cake for the week ahead. I've already sliced this one and am taking pieces to my co-workers today. They'll be counting the minutes til break time!!
Share my blog address with a friend so they can have this recipe!! Much more to come.
Have a happy Monday.
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