Festive pound cake: A timeless treat for your holiday table

Pound cake is a traditional dessert that evokes the warmth and magic of Christmas. Its distinctive texture and rich flavours, enhanced by the dried fruit within the cake, make it a must-have on the festive table. This classic dessert symbolises family gatherings and shared moments, offering an opportunity to celebrate with loved ones. Although it requires a little attention and care during preparation, it remains a cherished memory for anyone who has savoured this delectable treat at least once. How can you create a festive pound cake with dried fruit? We present the recipe below.

Preparing pound cake is as much about choosing the right ingredients as it is about following the recipe. The selection of ingredients affects the taste, aroma, and the cake's texture, which should be light and moist. In this traditional recipe, the base consists of plain wheat flour, butter, sugar, and eggs.

An indispensable element of pound cake is, of course, the dried fruit. Raisins, candied orange peel, and other candied fruits are essential. These ingredients give the pound cake its unique appearance and taste. For variety, you might add nuts, almonds, or a splash of rum to enhance the cake's deep flavour.

What ingredients are needed for the pound cake? To prepare the holiday pound cake, you need 540g of plain wheat flour, 227g of butter, 227g of sugar, 4 eggs, a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, a teaspoon of baking powder, half a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of cream flavouring, 50ml of rum, 60ml of milk, 85g of raisins, 100g of candied orange peel, 200g of mixed candied fruit for the pound cake, and optionally, ingredients for decoration such as homemade icing and additional mixed candied fruit.

How to make a pound cake? First, sift the flour and add the bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt. Coat the candied fruits in flour. Cream the butter with sugar until fluffy, then add eggs, milk, rum, and flavouring. Combine with the previously prepared flour mixture and add the dried fruit.

How to bake the pound cake? Once the batter is ready, proceed to baking. Line the tin you plan to use with baking paper, grease it with butter, and dust it with breadcrumbs. This preparation ensures the cake doesn't stick and can be easily removed after baking. Place the filled tin into an oven preheated to 170°C and bake for about 75 minutes.

After baking, allow the pound cake to cool before decorating it to taste. Traditionally, icing and additional dried fruits are recommended.

Despite its simplicity, Pound cake requires mastering a few tricks to ensure delightful flavour. A popular technique is to use a small amount of potato starch to coat the dried fruit, which helps prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Consider adding more rum or cream flavouring if you want a more intense aroma.

Store the pound cake in an airtight container or wrap it in baking paper to keep it fresh for longer. This will preserve its moisture and flavour. Interestingly, the longer the pound cake sits, the better it tastes. Thus, making it a few days before the holidays is brilliant.