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Nutmeg-Scented Pound Cake

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Makes at least 8 servings 1x

Time about 1 1/2 hours

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened, plus more for greasing
  • 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (to taste)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.

3. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter in a large bowl until it’s smooth. Add 3⁄4 cup of the sugar and beat until it’s well blended, then add the remaining sugar; beat until the mixture is light in color and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and beat until blended.

4. Stir in the dry ingredients by hand just until the mixture is smooth and everything is incorporated; don’t mix it too much and don’t use the electric mixer.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edges and remove the cake from the pan. Set the cake upright on a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature. When completely cool, store at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, for 3 days.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition