Cherri's Kitchen

 Why do they call it “Pound Cake?”

Well, I did some research and found that the original pound cake recipe dates back to the 1700s consisting of 1 pound of each flour, sugar, butter, and egg.

Wow, that is a lot of eggs! I will have to try that sometime.

But for now, try this recipe.

Vanilla-Sparkling Wine Pound Cake

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sparkling wine or milk
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup safflower or canola oil
• 5 cold eggs
• 2 tablespoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• 1 recipe Sparkling Wine Glaze (at end of recipe)

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift mixture; set aside. Stir together sparkling wine and sour cream; set aside.

2) In large mixing bowl beat sugar, melted butter, and oil with electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla paste. Beat on medium to high 3 to 5 minutes or until thicker and lighter in color. Add one-third the flour mixture; beat on low just until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add half the wine mixture; beat just until combined. Repeat with one-third the flour mixture, the remaining wine mixture, and remaining flour mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

3) Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Turn out on rack; cool completely. Drizzle with Sparkling Wine Glaze. Makes 16 servings. Sparkling Wine Glaze: In a small bowl combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon sparkling wine. Stir in additional wine, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach drizzling consistency.