Butter Pound Cake (Regular & Gluten Free Version)

Butter Pound Cake. Need I say more? This is one of my favorite cakes. It is basic, super easy to make (takes about the same time as a cake mix!) and it is always moist and buttery tasting. You can do so much with pound cake. I like mine just plain with a cup of strong coffee but you can use it in a trifle, as a layer cake, cupcakes, strawberry shortcake, cobbler batter, chocolate fountains, etc.

My first memories of Butter Pound Cake was as a child. My mom used to make cute little train cakes for our birthdays...until we outgrew them. She used empty soup cans and small loaf pans to bake the pound cake for the train shape and decorated with frosting and candies & little toys. Whenever I eat a really good butter pound cake....I think of train birthday cakes and it makes me smile :)

There are a lot of different recipes for pound cake. I like the old fashioned basic butter recipe. Simple. It doesn't have a bunch of ingredients in it which makes it an awesome "go-to recipe". It is quick, easy and you probably have the ingredients at home already. And it always tastes even better the next day!

Photos are of my gluten free butter pound cake 

I took the original recipe (cut it in half for just one 9x5 loaf) and made it gluten free. Life without butter pound cake? Not in this house! Here is how you make the butter pound cake (regular & gluten free instructions!)

Butter Pound Cake Recipe:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) real butter, I used unsalted. If you are using margarine instead, you may miss out on the extra butter flavor but the recipe will still work - just make sure it has at least 60% fat or it won't bake up as well!
• 1 cup sugar (granulated, nothing fancy, plain white sugar)
• 4 large eggs (I personally prefer using brown fresh eggs when I can get my hands on them for baking my cakes & breads but I used store bought white ones today)
• 2 cups flour (you can use regular flour if you don't have a gluten allergy. If you have a gluten allergy, substitute 2 cups of a gluten free flour blend - see below for the gluten free flour mix I used in this recipe)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder (If you are using a gluten free flour mix you will needs this so it will bake up nice and fluffy!) - you can leave out baking powder if you are using regular flour.

Beat the softened butter (not melted, just soft!) with sugar until fluffy and smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well mixed and fluffy. Gradually add in the flour & baking powder. 

Pour into a greased (or use cooking spray) 9x5 loaf pan. Bake in preheated 300 degree oven for approximately 65-80 minutes. (Cooking time will depend on your oven and altitude - check after 65 minutes). If you are making cupcakes or layered cakes then you will need to shorten the cooking time - check after 18/20 minutes for cupcakes & 25 minutes for cake pans. You know it is done when toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for about 30 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling. 

GLUTEN FREE FLOUR BLEND:

• 2 1/2 cups Brown Rice Flour
• 3/4 cup potato starch
• 3/4 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/4 cup glutinous rice flour (made from sticky rice - doesn't contain gluten)
• 2 tsp. xanthan gum

Stir well. I store mine in a glass jar to use for baking sweet breads & cakes. 

OPTIONS: (There are many options and you can be creative). Here are our favorites:

Lime Pound Cake: Add juice from 1 lime with some lime zest to batter before baking. Top with a glaze made with 1 cup powdered sugar, lime zest & 1-3 tbs. of lime juice; stir until smooth. Pour over cake.

Lemon Pound Cake: Add juice from 1 lemon with some lemon zest to batter before baking. Top with a glaze made with 1 cup powdered sugar, lemon zest and 1-3 tbs. lemon juice; stir until smooth. Pour over cake.

Almond Pound Cake: Add 1 tbs. Almond Baking Emulsion to batter before baking. Top with a glaze made with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1tsp. almond baking emulsion + 1-2 tbs. water or milk.

Gluten Free Butter Pound Cake Topped with Cool Whip & Sprinkle of Cinnamon

Enjoy!

Tanja

Gluten Free Casually