Tony's Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups (3 sticks) Salted Butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 4 large Eggs
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 2¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Milk
• fresh berries for garnish (optional)

For lower calories, you can cut the butter to two sticks. It's not as moist, but still tasty. Watch cooking time for the reduced butter (usually about 10m less).

Almond Pound Cake:

• Replace vanilla extract with 1½ tsp almond extract.
• Add ¼ cup of sliced almonds

Add the almond extract in place of the vanilla extract. After pouring into your baking dishes, sprinkle the almond flakes over the top of the cake(s). Most will stay on top, while some will float down into the mixture. This version works GREAT with an apricot glaze. For the glaze:

• ¼ cup apricot jam
• 1 tbsp warm water

Mash through a thin strainer to smooth out, then mix well with a little warm water until smooth. Brush onto the cake after removing from baking pan (while still warm).

Chocolate Pound Cake: Add the following:

• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup additional sugar
• Reduce flour to 2¼ cups
   

Coconut Pound Cake:

• Replace 1 cup milk with 1 cup coconut creme (NOT coconut milk)
• Reduce sugar to 1.5 cups
• Reduce vanilla extract to 1.5 tsp
• Reduce butter to 1 cup (2 sticks)
• Add 1/4 cup coconut flakes (optional)

Mix the coconut cream thoroughly before measuring your 1 cup. Add the coconut flakes into the mix at the end of the dry ingredients, and mix well. You can also sprinkle a litle extra on top after it bakes, or toast some lightly and do the same. Because the coconut creme has a lot of fat in it, we need to reduce the butter. It's also very sweet, so we reduce the sugar as well. the coconut flakes add a nice texture.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. Tap out any excess flour.
    
2. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat on medium with a hand mixer until creamed. It's easiest to beat the butter first, then beat in the sugar.
    
3. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs one at a time. Beat each egg in before adding the next. Scrape the sides of the bowl. 
    
4. In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
    
5. Alternately add the flour and milk always starting and ending with the flour. I added the flour in 3 parts and the milk in 2 parts. Scrape down the sides and mix to combine.
    
6. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, loaf pans, or muffin tins (see timing below). Spread it out evenly in the pan using a spatula.
    
7. Place into the oven and bake for 1h10m to 1h15m or until a toothpick comes out clean.
   - For two 12-muffin tins: 28 min
   - For two 8-mini loaf tins: 30 min
   - For a single loaf glass pan (half recipe): 1h5m-1h10m
   - For a single loaf metal pan (half recipe): 1h
    
8. Let cool for 5 minutes and turn out onto a plate. Let it rest for another 5 minutes. Tap the pan with a knife to help loosen the cake from the pan. For glass pans, I usually run a butter knife around the outside of the cake.
    
9. If adding a glaze, add immediatley after turning out (while still warm). Garnish with fresh berries.

This will stay good 4-5 days at room temperature, and will keep twice as long in the fridge. If you let it cool completely and wrap it well, you can freeze the cakes for up to 4-6 months, though it's recommended you eat it before 3 for best flavor. Just tranfer the cake to the fridge at least one day before server to defrost.