Almond Pound Cake

Altitude: 5,000 feet

Courtesy of Cook’s Illustrated.

Almond Pound Cake
Almond Pound Cake
Submitted by: Porche Lovely

Sea Level Ingredient Amounts

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter, cold
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 7 ounces cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 10 ounces sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

9,000 Foot Elevation Ingredient Amounts

  • 6 ¾ ounces butter
  • 7 ¼ ounces eggs
  • 2 ounces egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 8 ½ ounces all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 8 ¾ ounces sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Baking time per recipe: 70 to 80 minutes per recipe.
Actual baking time at 9,000 feet: 70 minutes.

1. Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and place in bowl of standing mixer; let stand at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes to soften slightly (butter should reach no more than 60 degrees). Using dinner fork, beat eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract in liquid measuring cup until combined. Let egg mixture stand at room temperature until ready to use.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter 9 × 5 inch loaf pan; dust liberally with flour and knock out excess.

3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and salt at medium-high heat until shiny, smooth, and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to medium; with mixer running, gradually pour in sugar (this should take about 60 seconds). Once all sugar is added, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is fluffy and almost white in color, 5 to 8 minutes, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once. With mixer running at medium speed, gradually add egg mixture in slow, steady stream; this should take 60 to 90 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl; beat mixture at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes (mixture may look slightly broken). Remove bowl from mixer; scrape bottom and sides.

4. In 3 additions, sift flour over butter/egg mixture; after each addition, fold gently with rubber spatula until combined. Scrape along bottom of bowl to ensure that batter is homogenous.

5. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Sprinkle almonds over surface of batter. Bake until golden brow and wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes; invert cake onto sife rack, then turn cake right side up. Cool cake on rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Slice and serve.

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“My mom made the cake with the changes from the Elevated Kitchen and it turned out wonderfully!! She is very happy with it and it tastes just as moist as it should. Thank you again for your help!”

-AdeBord

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