Listen along as Aleksandra Crapanzano, author of Gateau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes, cooks through a simple-yet-delicious pound cake which can become the foundation for endless variations for any occasion.

Recipe

Makes 1 Cake

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup / 200 grams granulated sugar
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• grated zest of one lemon or orange
• 1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon / 200 grams cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan
2. Separate the eggs and let them come to room temperature. In a good-sized mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks to break them up a bit. Add the sugar and whisk until they are thick and pale. Add the melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest and whisk until smooth. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.
3. Using electric beaters or in a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the salt and beat until they form stiff peaks. Stir a quarter of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out nearly clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a wire rack.
5. Serve at room temperature. If not eating the cake until later, allow it to cool all the way to room temperature, then wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.

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Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/