Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Powdered Sugar Icing (see recipe, page 88) (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring butter and eggs to room temperature. In a mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and if desired, nutmeg.
2. In another bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar to butter, 2 tablespoons at a time beating on medium to high speed about 6 minutes total or till very light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition, scraping bowl often.
3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low to medium speed just till combined.
4. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in a 325° oven for 55 to 65 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the center turns out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack.
5. Chocolate Marble Pound Cake: Prepare as above, except to one-third of the batter (about 1 1/3 cups) add 1/4 cup chocolate-flavored syrup. Stir till combined. Spoon half of the light butter batter on the pan. Top with the chocolate batter, then the remaining light butter. Use a knife to cut a zigzag pattern through the batter.
6. Nut Cake: Prepare as above, except use 1 1/2 cups butter; 6 eggs; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 1/2 cups sugar; and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured 9x5x3-inch tube pan. Bake in a 325° oven for about 65 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool thoroughly on a rack.