By Teri Cayton
The Parsons Advocate
We have been having some beautiful weather here in West Virginia these past weeks but the drought persists. I keep hoping for rain so it will knock some of the leaves off the trees. Momma Said, “We are just a tinderbox waiting for that one spark.” I hope that does not happen because it would be virtually unstoppable.
I have heard there are many forest fires in the western United States and I feel for the people and animals that are being displaced. I know it is a time of renewal for the forest but the homes and properties of the people that live there is a lifetime of hard work up in smoke. I don’t know if people are starting these fires or it is nature but if people are doing it I hope they are caught and punished to the fullest.
These are troubling times for our country and people are going crazy. Talk of uprising and riots, civil unrest and the election mess. I think this is the worst state our country has been in since the Civil War. People divided and lines are being drawn in the sand. Momma Said, “If you are smart you will NOT head for the hills because we know how to take care of ourselves.”
By the time you read this we will have a new president for better or worse. I think I can honestly say that with this election we, as a people, are between a rock and a hard place. I don’t think we will win either way. Politicians are the silver tongued devil, saying what we want to hear then doing what they want. Momma Said, “Everyone needs to fall to their knees and pray really hard for the state of our country.”
Moist Cream Cheese Pound Cake
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Ingredients
Cake
- ▢2 cups all-purpose flour
- ▢1 teaspoon baking powder
- ▢½ teaspoon salt
- ▢1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ▢8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- ▢1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ▢3 large eggs, room temperature
- ▢1 egg yolk, room temperature
- ▢2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Glaze
- ▢4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- ▢2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
- ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for thicker frosting
- ▢Dash of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Make sure you are using room temperature butter, cream cheese and eggs. When ingredients are at room temperature, they just naturally trap air better when you whip them up. So, what you end up with are baked goods that have a lighter texture.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
- Add in the granulated sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Pound cake gets its nice texture from creaming the butter and sugar together well, do not skimp on the creaming. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. I like to stop a little short and use a spatula to hand mix the last bit of flour in. The batter will be thick.
- Generously butter a loaf pan. That’s a 9×5 inch pan or 8.5×4.5 inch pan – it’s important to know what size you have because the bake time can vary by 10 minutes.
- Transfer the batter to the pan and smooth using a spatula.
- Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes check to see if the pound cake is browning too much. If so, tent the pound cake with aluminum foil and bake for 15-25 more minutes. **If you didn’t tent at 50 minutes, check again in 5 minute intervals to see if tenting is needed.
- The total suggested bake time for 8.5×4.5 inch pan is 75-80 minutes and 9×5 inch pan is 65-75 minutes. Be sure to know what size your pan is. I tend to err on the side of baking longer because pound cake is so dense. No one wants an undercooked pound cake.
- Allow the pound cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Place room temperature cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat together for 1 minute, until whipped and fluffy.
- Add in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar (and optional salt), beat again on low for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated.
- If you want the glaze to be thicker add an additional 1 Tbsp. of powdered sugar at a time. If the glaze is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream and beat until creamy.
- Spread over the cooled cake.