Martha Stewart Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 6-cup (8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch) loaf pan; set aside.

   In this step:

   • Buttering and Lining Cake Pans

2. Step 2

   Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined (do not overmix).

3. Step 3

   Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly). Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, and turn upright to cool completely.

   In this step:

   • How to Make Perfect Cakes

Pioneer Woman Pound Cake

Perfect Pound Cake

Prep Time:15 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 3 sticks Butter
• 3 cups Sugar
• 5 whole Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Butter Flavoring
• 2 teaspoons Lemon Flavoring
• 3 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Sprite, 7-UP, Or Sierra Mist

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream butter. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each addition. Add butter and lemon extracts and mix well. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add soft drink, then mix together until combined. Scrape sides of bowl, then mix briefly.
Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until the cake is no longer jiggly.
Remove cake from oven and invert pan until cake drops out. Slice and chow down!

Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on January 14 2010

Banana Cream Pudding

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk, low fat or whole
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• vanilla wafer cookies
• 3 to 4 bananas, ripe but firm
• sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping
• banana slices for garnish
• mint sprigs, optional

Preparation

In a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and flour; stir to blend. Slowly stir in milk until smooth. Pour into the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks; gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the slightly thickened hot milk mixture. Return egg mixture to the double boiler, stir in the vanilla and butter, and continue whisking and cooking until well thickened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
In tall dessert glasses or a 2-quart serving dish, make a layer of vanilla wafers then sliced banana. Spoon some of the pudding over the banana layer then layer more vanilla wafers and banana slices, topping with more pudding. Serve with whipped cream topping. If using short dessert dishes, use only one layer each of the wafers, banana slices, and pudding, and then top with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish each serving with a few slices of banana and a mint sprig if desired.
Serves 6 to 8.