Week 36: Brown Sugar Pound Cake

I woke up this morning remembering I had not shared the cake I baked for week 36.  It was a delicious cake... one I will make again and again.  It is the Brown Sugar Pound Cake.  The icing is a caramel icing and is made on the stove, stirring constantly for 6-7 minutes.  I served it to our community group on Wednesday night. Its amazing how quickly a cake can disappear.  This is definitely a cake you should add to your recipe files.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
At medium speed of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars for 4 or 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer running at low speed, add the oil and beat until incorporated; then, beat in the eggs, one at a time.

At low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until ingredients are blended; do not overbeat. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour into your prepared tube pan, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove cake from oven and check doneness with a cake tester or toothpick. If your tester does not come out clean, bake for an additional 5 minutes, then test again.


Brown Sugar Icing


1 pound light brown sugar (16-ounce package or about 2-1/4 cups plus 2 teaspoons
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 5-ounce can of evaporated milk
dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a heavy saucepan, bring to a boil the brown sugar, butter, milk and salt, stirring frequently (see Note, below). Once you have a full, rolling boil, cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in the baking powder and vanilla.

Beat, right in the saucepan, with a portable electric mixer, for 6 or 7 minutes, or until frosting begins to thicken. Working quickly, drizzle the frosting over the cake. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Happy Baking!
Julie