Italian Pound Cake Recipes

CANNOLI POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with butter and line with parchment; set aside.
• In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, mix together the butter and sugar until well incorporated and light in color; about 2-3 minutes. Add in the ricotta and mix until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add in the zest of one orange and stir to combine.
• In a seperate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips and pistachios.
• Pour the batter into the greased and lined pan and top with extra mini chocolate chips if desired. Bake on the center rack in oven for 65-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then use a knife to loosen the edges and lift out using parchment to help. Let the pound cake cool completely. Spinkle on powdered sugar if desired.

ITALIAN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• 1. * Do not preheat oven. Butter & flour a 10" bundt pan - set aside.
• 2. Sift together flours, salt, & baking powder; then set aside.
• 3. Using mixer - cream together the butter, shortening, sugar & cream cheese until light & fluffy. *If using a stand mixer - let this beat together for awhile while you are preparing the next steps.
• 4. Add extracts & mix to combine. Begin to whisk in eggs - 2 at a time making sure they fully incorporate before adding the next set of eggs.
• 5. Whisk in flour mixture alternating between the milk. Always beginning with the flour & ending with the flour. Mixing just until incorporated - over mixing at this point will make for a tough cake.
• 6. Pour batter into prepared pan, put pan in oven & set temperature to 350 degrees. Bake cake between 1 & 1.5 hours or until cake tester comes out clean. Begin watching cake after 45 minutes - if top begins to over brown - tent with foil for the remaining baking time. Begin to test cake at the 50-minute mark. Depending on your oven (gas/electric) the cake will cook faster/slower. You don't want to overcook this cake or it will be very dry & crumbly.
• 7. Allow cake to cool in pan for 15-30 minutes then remove from pan & cool on wire rack.
• 8. Once cool - mix powdered sugar & lemon juice together & drizzle over the top of the cake.
• 9. Notes: *You can cook this in any pan you like - doesn't have to be a bundt pan - you can use 2 loaf pans too. *You can use all butter in place of shortening if you like. *If you do not have cake flour you can use all, all-purpose flour instead. *When testing your cake - if a few crumbs stick to your toothpick/tester it's good to go -- just as long as there is no raw batter stuck to it.

ITALIAN CREAM POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Cream together butter, shortening and cream cheese with sugar until very light.
• Add salt, lemon and vanilla extracts, and eggs. Scrape bowl and beat again.
• With mixer on low, stir in sour cream, buttermilk, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
• Add dry ingredients. When they have been moistened, increase mixer speed and beat for about 20 seconds.
• Have ready, a greased and floured tube pan, add batter.
• Smooth top of cake. Place sauce in three dollops. Swirl into the batter in each spot, reaching into the cake, incorporate until it desolves from the top, but does not become homogenous.
• Place cake to bake on the middle layer of a 300 degree preheated oven for about 1 1/2 hours. The cake will still be soft on top when it is completed. Check for doneness, remembering to distinguish between batter, and filling, as it goes.
• Cake can be unfolded soon after it has baked. It is a good idea to cool on parchment because the top is soft.
• This cake can be kept, well wrapped, for several days, before it is eaten. Eat at room temperature.