Do Over

I have technical issues all the time in the kitchen and sometimes I can blame my failures on the recipe.  More often than not though, my failure is a direct result of a mistake on my part.  Yesterday's blog post described a chocolate pound cake disaster of epic proportions.  If you happened to miss the story - you need to check it out before you continue to read this post. 

What I neglected to tell you in yesterday's post is that the reason that I was making a pound cake in the first place was for a cake for my daughter's pool party.  I had seen this pair of flip flops made out of cake and covered in marshmallow fondant on pinterest and I thought it would be perfect for her party.   There were no instructions or directions associated with the photograph so I had to wing it.

My plan was to make one chocolate flip flop and one vanilla.  I decided on pound cake because there was only minimal trimming to do to get them into flip flop shape from their original loaf pan shape.

I started my second attempt at chocolate pound cake, this time taking almost excessive measures to ensure that each step was exactly as the recipe instructed. 

Chocolate Pound Cake
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cocoa
2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
16 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 eggs

Combine flour and salt.  Combine cocoa and chocolate.  Pour water over chocolate.  Stir until melted.  Beat butter, sugar, chocolate mixture, brown sugar and vanilla on medium high speed for 3 minutes.

 Add eggs, one at a time.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture.  

Scrape batter into greased 8/5x5 inch pan.  (This time it was a true 8 1/2 by 5 inch pan.)

Bake 60 minutes at 325.  Cool cake in pan 0 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Once I had a successful chocolate pound cake under my belt, I had the confidence I needed to tackle a vanilla pound cake. 

Classic Pound Cake
1 cup butter                      
1 ¾ cups cake flour
3 eggs and 3 egg yolks              
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla                  
1 ¼ cups sugar

Let butter and eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Beat butter and salt with flat beater in standing mixer for 2 minutes.

 

Gradually  pour in sugar while mixer is blending at medium speed.  Beat on high for 5-8 more minutes or until almost white.

Using a dinner fork, combine eggs, yolks and vanilla.  Reduce speed to medium and add egg mixture.  Beat on high for 3-4 more minutes.  In 3 additions, add flour by sifting over butter mixture and folding in with a spatula.

Transfer batter to a greased loaf pan and bake 70-80 minutes at 325.

Cool at room temperature for 2 hours.

OK, I've officially regained my confidence as a baker.  I successfully made not 1 but 2 delicious pound cakes for my daughter's pool party.  They turned out to be the perfect base for the flip flop cakes and the girls absolutely loved them.  Just goes to show that when I have a cake that flops - I need to try, try again. 

Ciao!

Chocolate Pound Cake
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cocoa
2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
16 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 eggs

Combine flour and salt.  Combine cocoa and chocolate.  Pour water over chocolate.  Stir until melted.  Beat butter, sugar, chocolate mixture, brown sugar and vanilla on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture.  Scrape batter into greased 8/5x5 inch pan.  Bake 60 minutes at 325.  Cool cake in pan 0 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Classic Pound Cake
1 cup butter                      
1 ¾ cups cake flour
3 eggs and 3 egg yolks              
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla                  
1 ¼ cups sugar

Let butter and eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Beat butter and salt with flat beater in standing mixer for 2 minutes.  Gradually  pour in sugar while mixer is blending at medium speed.  Beat on high for 5-8 more minutes or until almost white.  Using a dinner fork, combine eggs, yolks and vanilla.  Reduce speed to medium and add egg mixture.  Beat on high for 3-4 more minutes.  In 3 additions, add flour by sifting over butter mixture and folding in with a spatula.  Transfer batter to a greased loaf pan and bake 70-80 minutes at 325.  Cool at room temperature for 2 hours.