{ Blog 365 #111 - Cream Cheese Pound Cake }

 

 

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Source:  A Spicy Perspective

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

 

 

Directions:

 

• Set out the butter, eggs, and cream cheese to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Move one oven rack to the center of the oven and remove any racks above it.
• Pull out a standard 12-cup capacity bundt pan. Grease the bundt pan with extra butter or shortening, then scoop 1/4 cup sugar into the pan and shake it around until the fat is well coated in sugar. Dump out any excess sugar. Set aside.
• Place the softened butter and cream cheese in the bowl on an electric. Beat on high until the mixture is totally smooth. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the remaining 2 3/4 cups sugar. Beat on high again for 3-5 minutes to cream the ingredients until very light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl again.
• Turn the mixer on low and beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Then slowly add the flour a little at a time, until fully combined. Once the batter is smooth, turn off the mixer, as to not overmix the batter.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the center rack for 80-90 minutes. After 80 minutes, test the cake by inserting a toothpick deep into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, take the pound cake out of the oven.
• Let the cream cheese pound cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Then carefully flip the cake onto a platter or baking rack.

 

{ A quick trip to Lawton and a cake for Sunday }

Hubby and I took a short trip to Lawton, to help my mother in law with moving some items from her home, into storage.  She is trying to sell the house they have up there.

I always enjoy driving across Oklahoma and seeing the beautiful land, the cows, the sky and the old buildings teetering on old beams, barely hanging on.

{ Let them eat cake }

Sunday's are my kitchen days.  I usually bake, especially if I have anything that needs using up.  I stock up on cookies, replenish any homemade mixes that are running out, or make freezer breakfast burritos.

Today I baked 3 different cakes.  A delicious Victoria Sponge which is a family favorite.

 

A banana bread because I had bananas that were going bad.

 

And a Date and Nut Loaf which my sister in law loves, so mainly did it for her.

Now this wasn't all for us, we had the family over for coffee/tea and cake this afternoon.  See my sister in law's mom and aunt are visiting, like I mentioned yesterday.  But Tiffany also just got married and she came by just for a 2 days to pick up her stuff and then is heading on to San Diego with her new husband.

It feels so weird saying that about my little girl, I feel like it was just yesterday that I was babysitting her as a baby.  Time sure flies.

Anyway, everyone came over so we could say goodbye to Tiffany and Steven, as we're not sure when we'll see them again, probably just Christmas time.

We sat at the table, we enjoyed delicious cakes, we had coffee and tea and we laughed and told family stories, and so on.  Goodbyes are never easy but the kids are growing up and setting off on their own and it's just a hard thing to get used to.

I've always found the kitchen to be one of my favorite rooms in the house, it makes me happy to be surrounded by pots and pans and cooking utensils, ingredients and cookbooks and everything that makes a great meal.

Also helps when you have beautiful bakeware to enjoy.  You know it's been so many years since I purchased these Temp-Tations.....wait, actually I think my husband got me these for Christmas one year.  That is right, he did, he knew I had been wanting these for a while.  :)

Oh and here's one of my latest tips in the kitchen.  I have this adorable Grease crockware that I didn't know what to do with.  I just popped it next to my sink with a plastic bag, and it's become my trash little container for when I'm cooking or baking etc.  Makes it easier to have a place to pop everything in instead of constantly walking back and forth to the trash can across the kitchen.

We also did a bit more yard work and cleaned and reorganized inside the house.  I know it seems like that's all I say the past few days, but it's honestly what is going on around here.

No matter what is going on throughout my day, how busy it is, or how many chores I have to get through, I always end my day with a smile on my face, because I'm doing what I love. 

I'm hoping to make a few cute things tomorrow and I'll share them with you if I get to it, but I'm not sure if I have everything I need to make them.  We'll see!!!

We are also having a 4th of July Barbecue on Tuesday, with the whole family, so I'll be getting ready for that as well tomorrow.  Just another normal day of homemaking. 

How are you all celebrating the 4th this year?  Any of you vacationing somewhere, having barbecues with friends and family, watching a fireworks display in your town?