Good Eats Pound Cake Light Alton Brown Recipes

GOOD EATS POUND CAKE - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Liberally butter two 9x5 loaf pans, or one 9" tube pan. Add the flour and coat all surfaces (if using loaf pans, simply place one on top of the other and shake vigorously). Discard any excess flour.
• Warm the butter to 65-70F (about 3 hours at room temperature). Place sugar and butter in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (placing the butter on top of the sugar helps keep it from flying all over your kitchen). Mix on medium for a full 5 minutes.
• With the mixer turned down to low, add eggs one at a time, waiting 20-30 seconds after each addition, until the egg is fully incorporated and emulsified before adding the next. Add vanilla and salt.
• With the mixer still on low, add 1/3 of the flour. Mix until the flour is completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the next 1/3 of the flour. When that's fully incorporated, scrape down again and add the last of the flour. When fully incorporated, scrape down a third time, then beat on medium for 30 seconds.
• Using a scale, pour 2 lbs of batter into each loaf pan (or pour the whole thing into the tube pan). Smooth the top lightly; it doesn't need to be perfect. Bake about 1 hour, until the internal temperature is 210F and the cakes are golden-brown.
• Place the cakes, in their pans, on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and place bake on rack for at least another 10 minutes. Store loosely wrapped in a towel at room temperature for up to 3 days, or slice and freeze for up to 3 months. (It's very good toasted, right out of the freezer; one cycle thaws, and another toasts.).

POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 degrees F.
• Coat a 10-inch aluminum tube pan or 2 (9 by 5-inch) loaf pans with 1 tablespoon of butter and dust with 2 tablespoons of the flour.
• Cream together the remaining 16 ounces of butter and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer for 5 minutes on medium speed, using the paddle attachment. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. With the mixer running at the lowest speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Again, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This will take approximately 3 minutes and the mixture may look curdled. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the flour in 3 installments, making sure each portion is fully incorporated before adding the next. After the final addition, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat for 30 seconds on medium speed until almost smooth.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pan(s), dividing evenly if using 2 pans. Bake for 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. The crust will be golden brown and will spring back when pressed, but the crack around the center will appear moist.
• Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan(s) and cool on the rack. Store the cake on the rack covered with a tea towel for up to 3 days.

TRES LECHES CAKE (ALTON BROWN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Avoid using a very shallow pan.
• Whisk to combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Cream butter with mixer.
• Slowly add 1 cup of sugar to butter until combined.
• Pour eggs into mixture one at a time, making sure that each egg is combined before adding the next egg.
• Add 1.5 tsp vanilla.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
• Pour batter into the buttered and floured baking pan and smooth.
• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely.
• Perforate cake all over using skewers or a fork.
• Stir together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and half-and-half.
• Pour milk over cake and refrigerate overnight (or 8 hours) to allow the cake to soak up all the milks.
• Before serving, whip heavy cream, 1 cup sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla until thickened.
• Spread whipped topping over cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch metal pan with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper so it hangs over the sides of the pan and spray the parchment with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• Whisk the boiling water and cocoa powder together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Combine the sugar, flours, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk the oil, sour cream, eggs and egg yolks in a large pourable vessel. Add the oil mixture to the cocoa and water mixture and slowly whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture over 30 seconds. Continue to beat on low speed for another 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat on low speed until the batter is smooth, 10 to 15 seconds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake springs back when pressed and reaches an internal temperature of 205 degrees F, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes, and then remove cake from the pan and cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour.

GOOD EATS' INDIVIDUAL PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKES - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 350°F.
• Put 1/2 Tbsp of butter in bottom of each 6 oz ramekin. (4 ramekins).
• Melt the remaining Tbsp of butter and set aside.
• Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of Brown Sugar into each ramekin.
• Cut each peach into pieces and evenly divide the pieces in the 4 containers. Sprinkle with ginger if used.
• In a mixing bowl combine flour, soda, powder, and salt.
• In another bowl combine melted butter, sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir to combine. (Some lumps are expected! Don't over stir.).
• Pour the batter over the peaches, splitting it up evenly between the dishes.
• Bake on middle rack for 20-25 minutes Alton says the internal temp should reach 190F, but we didn't get there and it was still wonderful.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes Then use a knife to free the batter from the sides of the ramekins and turn upside down on a plate or bowl.
• Add ice cream or whipped cream and serve.

BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375 degrees F.
• Coat a 10-inch aluminum tube pan or 2 (9 by 5-inch) loaf pans with 1 tablespoon of butter and dust with 2 tablespoons of the flour.
• Combine the remaining 12 ounces of butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream for 6 minutes on medium speed, using the paddle attachment. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. With the mixer running at lowest speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Again stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This will take approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed add the flour in 3 installments, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, making sure each portion is fully incorporated before adding the next. After the final addition, beat the batter for 30 seconds on medium speed until almost smooth.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pan(s), dividing evenly if using 2 pans. Bake for 1 hour in a tube pan or in loaf pans, until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. The crust will be golden brown and spring back when pressed, but the crack around the center will appear moist.
• Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan(s) and cool on the rack for 10 minutes longer. Store the cake on the rack covered with a tea towel for up to 3 days.